My wife and I had the Bacon Bleu Burger and large Chicken Fried steak. Oh my. What great flavors and taste. We loved the Black Bear motif everywhere, as well. The service was great. Bought the 7-9 inch long Bear Claw. (We'll have to share that one.). It didn't fit in the square 'to go' tray. It was so big. They have breakfast. We'll be back before we have to drive out to South Dakota. And then back to San Antonio TX. We'll have to take a detour and come back through Colorado Springs so that we can eat here again. We'll see you in the morning!!
(5)
Lindsay B.
Glad I finally tried black bear diner! The pies are possibly the best thing on the menu but the chicken fried steak is quite delicious as well (the gravy is a sausage gravy and too sweet for me so I'd order without next time, the green beans tasted like water, the Caesar dressing was quite spicy, but the cornbread was amazing!
(5)
Trisha F.
Huge portions, great atmosphere, waitstaff are very friendly. Best damn pancake I've ever had too! I ordered the corned beef hash and mixed it all together for a delicious filling breakfast.
(5)
Keebler F.
Pretty good. But expensive. They use to have a habanero hot sauce on their tables, but no more
(3)
Rick C.
Better than expected food. Had to wait for a bit because of the crowd but viewing the mountains and visting family was perfect. Breakfast burrito was terrific, great texture on the tortilla, ingredients were very flavorful and the service was spot on. Totally "Bearable"!!
(5)
Neal E.
We stopped in for dinner one evening. I ordered the Summer Harvest Salad and a Chicken Pot Pie. My colleague had a salad and the T-Bone steak with bakes potato. I selected a Balsamic vinaigrette, which was not listed on the menu. The salad had lots of berries and nuts, with crisp lettuce, cucumbers, mushrooms, and more. It was a decent salad, but nothing to make you say "wow." We had only had our salads for a minute - and they were already bringing out our dinner entrees. It would have been nice to have some time to finish eating our salads before our entrees were brought out! My chicken pot pie was pretty tasty, I added some black pepper to it as I always do. The crust on the pot pie was really good, I made sure I got all the bits! Service was okay, again, would have preferred a delay to allow us to finish eating our salads before the rest of the food came out. As the name implies - there are lots of Bears in here - decor and some Bear stuff for sale!
(3)
Jessica S.
Typical IHop / Denney's style place. Portions are huge!! Breakfast was great. I had fiesta eggs. A lot of options on their menu. If you don't want breakfast they do serve some tasty looking burgers as well as other things. Service was good. Prices fare.
(4)
Jack H.
Not thrilled with this place for a couple of reasons; draft blowing on the table, ensuring food was cold almost immediately. told 'all the tables are like that'. Biscuits moved out of the biscuit realm and into plain white bread about halfway to their current size. Bigger is not always better! about a quarter of the plate was the actual omelet, the rest carbs. not much good for me at this place, I won't be back.
(2)
Cecily A.
I came here for my company Christmas party (with reservations) and noticed they had all 13 of us crammed into two tables with NO elbow room. After a table nearby left, they pushed together another table for us. The waitress was clearly annoyed yet attentive and the food def made up for us originally being crammed in. Portion size was huge and well worth the price. Will definitely be back in.
(4)
Colin H.
This place is awesome. Food is amazing and portions are huge. Pricing is not that bad. Well worth the wait.
(4)
Lawrence N.
This is a Western franchise but one that is obviously well run. My eyes locked onto the menu's bacon cheeseburger salad. Yes, it is a salad but with a side of decadence. It was healthy, and not so healthy but oh so delicious. Everyone at our table left satisfied by not only the quality of the food but the level of service. I would definitely return to this or another location.
(4)
Julia Cameron D.
I came with my kids and grand kids the day after Halloween and really enjoyed the morning. I love the chainsaw sculptures of bears outside, I love the murals and paintings inside. Booth is spacious and comfy and easy to see everyone around the table even in a big group like ours which is the whole point of brunching together. I had iced tea, light and crisp and refreshing and a glass of the best orange juice I have ever had in a restaurant which I credit to the fact they squeeze it seconds before they bring it to you. I had the vegetarian omelette with a side of hollandaise because if a place can make a decent hollandaise from scratch chances are good everything else will be great. Hollandaise was wonderful although I prefer just a tad more lemon. Waitress was great and efficient and attentive without being a bother. I liked the over all vibe of seeing all kinds of people enjoying the morning with their people. Definitely a gather place. Happy my kids live so close to it and I can enjoy many more pleasant mornings there with them.
(5)
Deborah T.
Very good food, fun decor, large portions for fair price. Lots of locals so we knew it must be good.
(4)
Jessica H.
Love there food it's amazing I always get the super blt. They are a little big expensive but you get huge portions. The also have a hamburger challenge at some point that would be fun to try.
(5)
Missy B.
This restaurant has really started to grow on me. Literally. The portions are HUGE!! But apart from that, the staff is always friendly and I have never had a bad experience. I have only ever ordered breakfast here and their blueberry pancakes are to die for! They are humongous, though, so I can usually only ever eat one. They serve their coffee in a mug that feels so homey and I'll bet you can't drink it all before they come by to fill you up. Also, it always seems to be busy (especially on Sundays with the 'after-church' crowd) so be prepared for a little wait. Overall, I enjoy this restaurant and would recommend it to anyone looking for a hearty breakfast or a heart attack.
(4)
Michael W.
Clean, quick and delicious. Finally got to try out Black Bear a few weeks ago after hearing good things. I can say that I was definitely impressed and pleased. I went with my wife on a Sunday morning, so of course it was pretty busy. The waiting area is nice and the staff a very welcoming. We had about a 10 minute wait which was pretty good since it was packed. We got to our booth and ordered up our feast. My wife got the chorizo scramble and I got 2 eggs over easy with toast and bacon. The food came out ridiculously fast, which is always a nice surprise. The food was very fresh and had great flavor. The only slight downside is that our water seemed preoccupied with multiple tables, so he did not show as much attention as I would have liked. Other than that the service was great and the food was even better. Everything I was told about this place was true. Great service, better food and a price that was very reasonable. The food was so good that we will be coming back to try out the lunch/dinner. Highly recommended.
(5)
Kimberly I.
We have eaten at Blackbear twice. The first time there was a bit of a wait but it was Sturday so no surprise there. The decor is cute! The service has always been fine. Food is good. It can take a while to get the food but the portions make up for the wait. We always go home with food left over. The bears for sale are spendy so we steer the kids away from that area.
(5)
Susi H.
In my constant search of new places, I tried this for breakfast last weekend. It is a chain restaurant, which in my book is already taking a star off the top, but it's not too bad. The decor inside is kind of kitschy-bear-cabin like but it feels inviting and comfy. Their 'thing' is the portion size. This is MAMMOTH size portions we are talking about. The bear claw I had was literally bigger than my head! The plates that my friends received were overstuffed with food too! The quantity is however not necessarily an indication of quality. My bearclaw was too sweet, and the food I tried from all the other plates was just a-ok. It's an ok place to stop by if you are in the area, but I am not sure I'd go out of my way to come back ;)
(3)
Courtney P.
As close to home cookin from what I've had in the springs so far. The chicken fried steak & meatloaf is sooo good!
(4)
Miranda M.
I have yet to have a bad experience at a black bear diner. I've been to two in California, three in Arizona, and now here. Huge menu, great food, outstanding service. What more could you want? Definitely one of my favorite restaurants.
(5)
David W.
Food was yummy. I had the chicken fried steak. My son had the tri tip. Wife had the fish and chips. Daughter had the chicken parma. I had a bite of from each of thier dishes and they were all tasty in their own way. Our server Marissa was on the ball with refills and helpful when it came to subistitions for my sons dish. Will be visiting again next trip out here.
(5)
Paul S.
Meticulously clean was the first thing I noticed when I walked in. All the employees I walked past greeted me warmly which I appreciate. Eric, the server at the bar, gave me some off the best service I have had in CS. None of that over the top polite, disingenuous banter, just straight to the point, attentive and courteous service and was very knowledgeable. The coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice was amazing and went great with the California eggs Benedict, which was also amazing. I will definitely come back. Great job Black Bear.
(5)
Cory B.
Eat here people! You won't be sorry. Had the cinnamon roll French toast. I'm going to try to make it here a few times a month for sure! BTW it's totally cheap for breakfast!
(5)
Montana W.
Friendly staff, huge portions, good food! The rolls, y'all. It's like ordering a tiny loaf of bread. I ordered the Volcano from the "light" breakfast menu with a side of biscuit(s) and gravy. There was nothing light about it, but it sure was tasty... And so were the leftovers I brought home.
(4)
Gladys O.
My husband, son, and I visit Black Bear often. My son loves their macaroni and cheese- and the Sunday that comes with the kids meal. My husband enjoys the giant hamburgers, with thick cut bacon, pickle spears, crispy lettuce, and juicy beef pattie. I typically go for the rueben, which never fails to delight and fill me up. Their fries are a warm, crispy, perfectly salted side of delicious as well. If you're not full after your meal, I highly suggest trying their cobblers ( I believe they have peach and berry) alamode or a warm bread pudding (my favorite!)
(5)
Lissete D.
We have never had a bad meal at Black Bear. I am not a breakfast person, but we only have dined here for breakfast. Go figure. The portions are large and I can never finish on my own. I always order the Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs. I don't eat eggs, so that automatically goes to my husband. The CFS is always delicious and the gravy is perfect. It comes with potatoes and a biscuit. The biscuit is huge, but I usually change the biscuit for a pancake. Their pancakes are, in my opinion, the best on the planet. The pancake is the size of the plate. I eat this like bread, with butter only. Yum! Price point is reasonable for what you get. Service at this location has always been friendly and efficient. They usually are on a wait on weekends. Especially for breakfast, so come prepared. Totally worth the wait.
(5)
Tiara W.
Love Black bear, especially for breakfast! You can't go wrong with their pancakes, prices are good and portions are generous. Sometimes it can be a wait to get it on the weekends but it's totally worth the wait. If you love burgers and are in for lunch try bobs burger with fries! Seriously the BEST for breakfast.
(5)
Terry W.
This isn't the type of place you would expect for it's location because it seems like it might be just another franchise in the Springs but actually it is a great place to eat. Just all around great staff and the food is excellent. All I recommend is to wear some stretch pants because you will be served allot of food.
(5)
A J.
Don't threaten me!! Had breakfast here today. The food was ok, nothing to brag about. The problem occurred when my ten dollar breakfast burrito showed up. It was suppose to be covered in green chili. It had a couple spoonfuls sitting on top... not enough for enjoying the AVERAGE sized burrito. I asked for a little more green chili. The lady comes back with a small side and says, "My manager says next time we'll have to charge you, but this time its free." Are you going to take my picture and put it on the wall? Take my name? If you want to charge me for something do it!! Don't act like you're doing me a favor by bringing me what you should have done right the first time!!! Don't worry about "Next time".
(2)
Eand F.
Really good food, great service, unbelievable portions. If you suffer from Arcotophobia (a fear of bears), you may want to avoid this place. But for those of you who find the little buggers adorable this place is right up your alley.
(4)
JA C.
Food is amazing each time I go there. The service is hit or miss. I've had the bad luck of getting the same female server several times and EACH time she never knows my table is in her area. So we wait and wait for someone to come to our table. I get that once this could happen but not 3 times. I still go there but I make sure I don't get the server with the blondish highlighted hair.
(3)
Heather Z.
Absolutely love this place. Have lived in Colorado Springs for a year and a half so far, have been here about 10 times and I haven't been disappointed ever. Really great food every time! Have a big variety to choose from as well. Love it
(5)
Jay C.
Food yes! Service not so much....usually slow to get food. This trip we arrived with 2 out of 3 in our party and we're told to wait. Really? They weren't busy at all and god forbid you get coffee and a table while you wait for 1/3 of your party. This will be my last visit.
(2)
Phil E.
This place is not the best we've encountered in your wonderful country, but it's a really good feed, and the management and staff care to make sure they do the best they can at a very reasonable price. I'm deeply carnivorous, and loooooove ribs. Black Bear's are good. If it hadn't been for Black Bear on N Academy, our Colorado Springs experience would have been less than pleasant. Unless silver service is your thing, you won't go wrong stopping in here for a feed!!
(4)
Aretha M.
I like this place it's has great American food with large portion servings, enough to where you could split a plate if wanted or take half home for later.
I'm giving them 5 stars solely because they have the BEST SWEET CREAM PANCAKES this side of the solar system. And these said pancakes are the size of a plate which makes them SUPER BIG! I have been here many times. I live in Denver but I go to Colorado Springs...an hour+ away for these darn pancakes. My younger daughter (14yrs) loves their Cinnamon toast pancakes and although not to big, my older daughter (25yrs) swears by their bacon cheeseburger which she requests bleu cheese. My husband has had their all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs and they fall off the bone, are very meaty with no bunch of fat anywhere and the sauce is pretty darn yummy (I know because I always eat 1 or 2). I don't know where they get their sausage from but whether you order links or patties, they are GI-NORMOUS! And they are soooooo freakin' delicious! The staff has always been very friendly and although you do have to wait a while for your food...It comes out piping HOT! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS PLACE!
(5)
Tim W.
I tried this restaurant three times because of a friend's rave reviews. The first time, I had a hot beef sandwich that was so fatty and tough that I couldn't cut it with a knife. The second time, I had corned beef hash and eggs where the corned beef hash was stringy and overcooked. It was like eating toothpicks. The third time, I had a cheeseburger that was cooked rare instead of medium-well. Three strikes, you're out. I'll find someplace else.
(1)
Les G.
I love this place so much. Lived in Colorado Springs for 2 years and now live back in Texas where we don't have Black Bear Diners. :( I miss this place and its wonderful customer service and food. Their breakfast and dinner is just fantastic. Best pancakes I've had in a very long time. Really great environment and really great food. When I return to Colorado I'm going here again!
(5)
Demitri R.
Had a 15 Minute wait to be seated but it was a Saturday so what do you expect. I had the French Toast Breakfast with Eggs and Ham. The portions are big which is why I just went with this, didnt want a huge breakfast. My Server was awesome and attentive and never let my drink run to the south end of the levy. My Friend had the Bigger French Toast Breakfast with the steak and that looked good, but her steak was a little to pink for my tastes and she had to take some home. I took the bread pudding home, with the sauce, and it was huge. I couldnt even finish it all. And Black Bear is reasonably priced and they have stuff for sale to take home. Also cant go wrong with Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice.
The food is OK but the marketing program to have people eat 4 pounds of meat and a pound of fries in 45 minutes earns this place a big fat 1 star :(
(1)
George L.
Fresh Orange Juice and pretty good dark toast coffee. Ordered the Bears Choice w/French Toast, crispy bacon, eggs soft and a side of hash browns. Can't go with a 5 star rating simply because much like all of the other places in town...no one knows how to make eggs truly soft scrambled, that may come from not using "shelled" eggs and only having a slurry. The French Toast, while tasty was not "hot" when it arrived. My bacon was perfect and the hash browns were almost a meal in its self. I'll come back and give it another go again in the future.
(4)
Liz K.
Service was super friendly, atmosphere was quite cute. Food was good, cooked properly and quite tasty. One small mistake with my order (Thousand Island Dressing has no right to exist) but it was rectified quickly and courteously. We were checked on multiple times, refills were prompt, and my burger came with enough fries I could've lived off of them for a week.
(5)
Veronica C.
My favorite diner. I've been to this location and Lake Havasu, AZ. As diners go they don't get any better. Great service, value, and ambiance. I love their cobbler, eggs benedict choices, and biscuits with gravy. Lighter choices are also available on the menu (big selection). The food tastes homemade. Highly recommended!
(5)
OB O.
Pretty good diner. If you like quantity of food you'll love this place. You leave full. I had okay service, but the place was very busy.
(3)
Tiffany B.
Came here for an early morning breakfast and was pleasantly surprised. The food tasted like a home cooked meal Mom would make on Sunday morning. The decor was warm and inviting, and our waitress Georgia was just as sweet as she wanted to be. I look forward to returning and trying other dishes.
(4)
Tim K.
I've been to Black Bear Diner several times over the years and have always been a fan of their large portions and good 'ol American food. Today's experience was very lackluster. The restaurant was very dead for 4:45pm on a Sunday, and it took several minutes to be seated. After our order was placed it took about 30 minutes for the food to arrive. The food was pretty good, even if the Reuben didn't have as much meat as I remember them packing in there. And the restaurant didn't have spicy mustard. The service throughout the entire meal was super slow. So slow that we had to track down our server to get our change before leaving. A person at table nearby was offered free dessert because they had screwed her order up. I'm sure I'll be back, today seemed like a fluke, and not the Sandra type.
(2)
Bobby A.
There is one reason and one reason only why I keep going back to the Black Bear Diner (I've now been to the ones at Mount Shasta, CA, Phoenix, AZ and now Colorado Springs, CO). Garlic Fries. I have no idea why the garlic culture never took hold in a foodie city like Montreal but until it does, I have to wait for my trips to the West Coast to get my garlic fix done right. It's nothing complicated, just diced cooked garlic smothered on fries, sounds simple enough, which is why I fail to understand why more places don't offer it. Anyway, whenever I come here for lunch, I always make sure that my sandwich or burger comes with garlic fries. I have no idea about their breakfasts or dinners, since I've never tried them, but I'm guessing it's pretty decent. Portions are huge and you can take it home also. Friendly service.
(4)
TrevinoFamily H.
Can't go wrong at the Black Bear Diner. So many choices in the style of Home cookin! Healthy (meaning Hefty not Skimpy) portions...We've never left hungry. Breakfast served all day :) Have always had great service and have never had any complaints.
(5)
Jessi T.
Why is everything smothered in gravy? I wish I knew they were that smothered before ordering. i couldnt taste anything but the gravy. My boyfriend liked his pot roast though. Yuck
(2)
Liz E.
I love coming to this place when I crave a hearty meal. The service is friendly and attentive. The portion sizes are big, so come with a good appetite.
(4)
David G.
Huge portions unless you specify otherwise. Mine is huge today. A great diner.
(4)
Cookie M.
Great Breakfast!!! Come here hungry. We usually get the omelette with a pancake (instead of the toast). And the biscuits and gravy are yummy! You definitely get your money's worth over here.
(4)
Cianna R.
Great food, service so-so, fresh squeezed OJ great but warm :/ We have ordered from Black Bear Diner for about 3 months, when they were a part of Cuisine on The Scene, and now that the management switched, Black Bear is no longer and option and that saddened my household. But we went to dine in last Friday, around 11, and we were shocked at how busy it was for a Friday afternoon, it was Sunday afternoon crowds. But the restaurant moved fast, and within 15 minutes we were seated. Our waitress was an older lady, pleasant but seemed like her section might have been to busy for her, she was constantly passing us by before she had time to get our order. The table seated next to us, who came in after us, got their food first, which was slightly upsetting as we had already been waiting 10 minutes. Finally, we ordered and got our drinks, which were good but my fresh squeezed OJ was quite warm, which I was not a fan of. Our meals were to die for, which I knew going in, I had open faced meatloaf, with mashed potatoes, and it was amazing and my boyfriend got the burger basket and loved it, though they left off his 1,000 island dressing. Flagging down our waitress to order dessert was a task, but after holding the dessert menu for about 7 minutes, she finally stopped and asked if we wanted dessert and any else, and we got the apple cobbler a la mode, and it was WONDERFUL! :) Hot, great apples, tasty crust, cold ice cream! The place isn't super cheap but a really good deal for the amount of food you get, and they offer smaller portions for a bunch of their dishes, I will be going again, but I wished they were still an option for home delivery, as we don't have a car and love to order them for dinner some nights!
(3)
Christena M.
Best pancakes I have ever tasted! Always friendly service! Whenever I visit a city with a black bear diner I must visit! Big portions, great prices!
(5)
Jennifer O.
We went there around 10 am this morning. The staff was NOT friendly at all. We had a party of 6 and a baby, you would have thought that they had to rearrange the entire restaurant for us. It took about 15 minutes to get our table ready, despite the fact that they were almost empty. Our waitress was very rude, not even a smirk on her face much less a smile or polite attitude. My father in law had to repeatedly call her over to take our order, as we had been waiting to order for almost 30 minutes. When our order finally arrived (11:47 am almost 2 hours after we arrived) the food was beyond horrible. I ordered an omelette which was way over cooked, burnt on the edges, and the "hash browns" were not cooked and you could see the chunks of rotten potatoes on my plate. The waitress came over to bring us our check and asked if I was done. Before I could even say anything she noticed the rotten mess of potatoes and said oh sorry about that. She ran into the kitchen with my plate. Another 15 minutes goes by and she comes with the check and informs us that they just took $2 off our bill. Gee thank you for letting me know, it is not like I came here to eat because I am hungry. My food was not the only bad food either. But I think everyone gets the point here. Orange juice is great the food is not good at all. I would not even feed this garbage to my dogs. Thank you so much for ruining my Mother in laws birthday breakfast.
(1)
Susan B.
Okay, so I know I'm gonna get a whooping for this, but if this is "all that", then I'm definitely not meant for Colorado. We have been told about this place for 6+ months before deciding to eat here. I love eating at mom and pop shops, but this was not one of them! We were not impressed. I ordered sweet cream cakes (which they supposedly famous for) and they were okay, but the plastic tasting butter ruined it for me. My husband ordered the t-bone... and this is where the problems start; ordered it medium, steak came out rare. There was a non-existent filet and the steak was burned on one side, like charred. How in the world do you char one side of a 1/4" steak and have it come out rare? Can not say I will visit this one again.
(2)
Heather G.
This is one of my favorite places to go! The staff is always friendly and the food is always good. The biscuits and gravy are the best I have found in the Springs. I've tried several different things off their menu and I have never been disappointed.
(5)
Rhea N.
I've been here for breakfast, lunch and dinner; it always surprises me that there's not a lot of customers there at one time since it's such a great place to eat. The portions are always huge and the prices are shockingly low (especially for the amount served). My husband had ordered biscuits and gravy one time and I was very impressed with the size of the biscuits. It's kid friendly and has such a friendly atmosphere. I especially love the smiley face fries they give my kids...it's always a hit with them. They also had an all you can eat ribs for under $10 and the first set of ribs were definitely "fall off the bone" material...just a bit too much bbq sauce for my taste. Second set of ribs started to become a tad bit too dry, but hey, it was all you can eat--you can't really fault them for that too much :)
(4)
Greg H.
I love this place for lunch in particular because I've never been there any other time, but I'm sure it'd be GREAT then too. I'm currently working down the street, so because of the pleasant experiences and consistently impressive variety of food, we bring people here all the time individually or in groups. You can really go wrong with anything that you order here. It's all amazingly filling and all cooked specifically to your order, and it's pretty quick. The staff is always helpful and on top of their duties. Two of the most randomly cool features here are the pies that look like little pot pies and then the fresh OJ juicer machine! They just dump in whole oranges in the top and through they go. They get cut in half, spun around, squeezed out, and out go the peels. It's awesome.
(4)
Shannon T.
We went here after church on Easter Sunday...There was a 25 minute wait so we just sat at the bar so we could eat right away...I had the Corned beef and hash and it was so great..it shredded and so delicious. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Gary K.
What a great place!! Total "bear" theme. Great mountain lodge decor. The menu is like an old newspaper. Very cool. Huge variety of entrees ranging from steak to soup and sandwiches. I chose the home style meatloaf with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. OHHHHH SOOOOO YUMMMMMMY!!!!! HUGE portions... no room for dessert at all, though they did seem to have a great selection!! I would have liked to have gone back and tried some of their other items... but was only in town for a short business trip. They have daily specials which all looked very tasty... Based on what I had, I can imagine that everything they serve is equally good. Our server was awesome... totally friendly and funny!! Highly recommended!!
(4)
Quentin Y.
Bottom line up front.....the food was good, plentiful and relatively cheap. This was our first visit. We arrived to the restaurant about 9 o'clock on a Saturday morning. The restaurant was half filled with patrons and we were immediately seated. Now while the name of the restaurant is Black Bear Diner, the ambiance does not match that of a true diner. The atmosphere was cozy and warm with young bubbly servers moving around franticly with trays of food. We noticed other's plates and were amazed at the ample amount of food served. I ordered the Hungry Man (NY Strip, three eggs and country fried potatoes), the wife enjoyed The Volcano (short stack of notorious 7 grain Almond Granola Pancakes, 2 sausage links, 2 strips of bacon and 2 eggs). We did wait for about 25 minutes for our dishes to be delivered, so I would not recommend going if you are already experiencing hunger pains...or have kids who are easily irritable because they have to wait for food. My steak was cooked to perfection; the waiter who asked me to cut into the meat to insure my satisfaction of the doneness verified this. My lady's pancakes were remarkable! Sweetness combined with a slight crunch equated to bliss. The sausage links were tender with a hint of maple. Our meals with coffee totaled about $26.00. The establishment does offer military discounts if you inquire. By the time we left....there was a waiting line! We will sure to be returning for lunch and dinner.
(4)
Emily C.
We picked this place for a quick lunch after reading reviews here on Yelp. It has since become our favorite diner in the Springs. We've eaten here quite a few times in the past couple weeks. The food is great as is the service, and the bear decor is very cute. We loved the burger with cheddar and bacon pieces mixed into the burger. It has a lot of flavor. Probably my favorite thing on the menu thus far is the California Benedict. Great hollandaise and the bacon and avocado make for an exciting flavor combination. We've also tried the desserts and the pies are great as well as the shakes. If you're looking for some reasonably-priced, delicious American diner food in the Springs, this is definitely the place you should go!
(5)
Michelle M.
We came here for dinner and left disappointed. Because the menu kept bragging about big portions, we were excited at the prospect of bringing leftovers home. I ordered the Breaded Deep-Fried Shrimp and my husband had the Western BBQ Burger. I received only 6 shrimp - the rest of the plate was all fries and a small side dish. My husband's burger was good, but nothing to write home about, and not particularly big. Again, his plate was mostly fries, so if you come here mainly to eat fries, you'll be fine. It was a fine place to try once, but we'll give it a pass next time.
(3)
Peggy T.
used to be one of my favorites, but lately it's not been that good. Avoid the fried chicken- the breading was heavy and soggy and the chicken pieces looked like the left overs after they had used the more choice pieces for their stuffed chicken breasts and pot pies. It looked like a lot of food, but with a chicken wing, neck, thigh, and what appeared to be a chicken breast but had very little meat, the meal was heavy on starchy carbs with little protein. The sauteed vegetables were good and the salads are fresh though unimaginative.Even the onion rings seems like a skinny little piece of onion with lots of breading. Really Popeye's chicken is far more tasty and larger portions & probably no worst nutritionally at a fraction of the cost. I've always found the service good and the wait-persons friendly.
(3)
Nick A.
There are three awesome things about this place: mastatodian portions, biscuits so large they look like they could be the stones used to construct the ancient city of R'lyeh, and delicious fresh squeezed orange juice. Otherwise, it's can basically be filled away into any number of other breakfast places around the Springs. We came here on the advice of a friend to satiate a post binge-drinking need for sustenance, and immediately became excited when I saw the fresh squeezed OJ. I ordered a mimosa with it, and quickly set my mind right. We ordered food, which arrived quickly, and were pleased with the huge portions. Although good, nothing we had ordered really blew us away, flavor wise. The menu has a wide variety of standard diner fair, and no real standouts - with the exception of the Cinnamon Bun French Toast, which unfortunately no one was really prepared to try for fear of immediately exploding into an formless, immobile, obese mass. I will probably be back to trying after running a marathon, as that is probably the only way to achieve caloric equilibrium after eating something like that. With some of the other spectacular breakfast places I have been to, this one doesn't quite find itself a cut above the rest. Don't let that turn you off, though - for some down-homey comfort food with great service, this is definitely a place worth checking out.
(3)
Kim K.
This is a pretty good breakfast place. I haven't had any of their "regular" food, just breakfast. The pancakes are pretty good, but the country potatoes weren't crispy at all and the onions and peppers were practically non-existent. The biscuits and gravy though are AMAZING. The biscuits are huge and light and taste wonderful, and the gravy is perfect (not at all like pudding, yay!). They also offer fresh squoze OJ, which=YOM. Oh and they have mini-pies you can buy! I never have though because I'm so stuffed when i leave.
(3)
Shamonn M.
So last night we went to Black Bear Diner after trick or treating. My son was still in costurme so the first thing the manager says is your son can eat for free...shoot I was excited cause this kid can eat! I ordered the Big Bob's Bacon Burger and my husband ordered the Chicken Fried Steak. This burger was huge but I was hungry. Love it...the burger was cooked perfectly and it had a lot of toppings. I really enjoyed this. Also, make sure you guys order a sweet tea or an Arnold Palmer. Not to mention the waiter and the staff were very friendly. This is the second time we've been in there and great service both times! Check it out you guys!
(4)
David E.
This diner is one of my favorites in the Springs. The staff is friendly and attentive and the whole place feels like a good comfy diner. I think breakfast is their specialty but they have lunch, dinner and even wine/beer. Last time I came here was right after climbing the Incline (1 mile of stairs, 3 1/2 miles of a trail run down). Exhausted and hungry, I ordered one of their delicious omelets, a coffee and a water. I don't think the coffee nor the water were ever empty (despite how much I was drinking). The omelet was delicious and the background music was pleasantly 50s. I'd recommend you give Black Bear Diner a whirl and taste what a real diner should be like. Maybe I'll see you there!
(4)
Randy E.
Best dining experience I've had in awhile. Great food and service.
(4)
Jim H.
Poor food. Poor preparation of the poor food. Most items either under seasoned or over seasoned. Poor service. On top of that, the locations in Sandy UT and Boise ID were similarly poor (thanks to my parents we were drug to three locations of this chain of franchises). And to add insult to injury, the prices are ridiculously high for such a poor product.
(1)
Alicia H.
For being in the middle of BFE this is the spot to hit!
(4)
Danielle G.
This use to be our favorite place to eat breakfast or dinner hands down...we will not be back after our last experience. Service was extremely slow, my pancakes came out raw in the middle, and my husbands order was also wrong. I could understand if they were super busy but they were not. We use to visit 3-4 a month but not any more...very disappointing.
(1)
Jay B.
Big portions of good comfort food: omlettes, meat loaf, turkey dinner, burgers, onion rings...Even though it's a franchise feels more homey. Good for families.
(5)
John N.
I've been here several times now, but I always seem to order the Spanish Omelet. Eggs, green peppers, chorizo, cheese, salsa what's not to like? HUGE portions, friendly staff, good food, but for me, it's all about the OJ. Normally, I'm not an OJ guy, but the BBD has this OJ machine - so all the OJ is literally fresh-squeezed - it's amazing! Just absolutely delicious. The food and service are great, big portions and that yummy OJ! - 4 stars
(4)
Rory C.
Meh. Let's be honest, it's a chain with chain-y type food. Orange juice was good, biscuit was insane, everything else was over salted and undercooked.
(2)
Shun F.
If I had to describe this place with one word, it would be this: Hearty. Even for me, the portions at this restaurant were huge (which always makes me happy). Most times when my friends tell me that the portions are big, this is my modus operandi. 1) Strut into the place. 2) Order 2 entrees. 3) Laugh at them for their inferior portion skills. Unfortunate for me, it shames me to say, that I actually had to take home a doggie bag from this place. I ordered the corned beef with hash, plus the country potatoes and a side of homemade Italian sausage. Lets just say that I had enough starch and carbs to last me for a couple days. But, you only live once, right? Go to this restaurant when you are absolutely starving and in need for some greasy goodness.
(3)
Mary W.
I've eaten there twice. The sodium levels in this food are ridiculous. I must say I did love the hash browns though.
(2)
Aaron M.
Great restaurant. The service was friendly and the portions were huge. I would recommend the breakfast items. They serve it all day. I also saved using the gift certificate from RubberDollar.com .
(5)
Colin Z.
Huge portions yet reasonably priced. Our waiter was very friendly and efficient, along with the other staff. I ordered one of the combo dinners ( ribs and tri- cut steak) and my wife ordered the Alaskan salmon dinner. Both arrived piping hot. Would definitely return!
(5)
Phoebe A.
If you like Cracker Barrel or MiMi's you will LOVE the Black Bear Diner!! Everything about it is great! If you are hungry check it out!!
(5)
Julie W.
The OJ really is a feat all on it's own! It is very good. A great place for breakfast after a long night of beer pong indeed. Friendly service and a fun atmosphere. This genuinely has become one of my favorite places for breakfast.
(4)
Bert B.
Just your good, basic American dining. It is a chain, after all, so it doesn't deserve the accolades of a family-owned operation like the Mason Jar. But, worth driving across town. Friendly staff, generous portions, reasonable prices. For a decent but not bank-busting dinner out, go for it! Better than most.
(4)
Line C.
We've been to Black Bear a few times. We love their breakfasts, but my favorite is the chicken club. It has swiss cheese, bacon, and avocado. Their portions are generous and prices are very reasonable. I've always wanted to take home their mini pies because they're just so cute, but by the end of the meal, even the thought of pie is too much! They also have a 10% military discount. The service is quick and friendly, like a real hometown diner.
(4)
Dan C.
After a fall start here in the Springs (I'm looking at you WH). I have finally reached Valhalla.
(5)
Alicia R.
I've been there only twice so far (and the second time was spent chasing a toddler the whole time - ugh!), but so far I've really enjoyed it. The food has been good, and the service great. I like the atmosphere, and I love the machine they have for making fresh orange juice. The prices are good and the menus are fun. Definitely a place I'll be returning to soon.
(4)
krissy r.
you will get A LOT of food. my husband ordered 'the grizz', which consisted of an enormous amount of hash browns, pancakes, three eggs, sausage, and ham. he made a brilliant showing and completed everything but the tail end of the hash browns. i had tuna salad with avocado and swiss cheese. it was straight forward and a little lacking in the taste arena. however, the saving grace was the decadent bear claw, covered with icing and filled with nutty, cinnamon goodness. served with butter, of all things.
(3)
Bunny G.
What a wonderful find! Please come here for a great homestyle breakfast you won't be disappointed. There's something on the menu for everyone and portions are manly size so you won't feel cheated when the bill comes. Service is friendly, food is delicious, ambiance is cute and fun for kids and grown-ups. Views out the window let you peak at the mountains and on this day we watched the hot air balloons during the festival. We had the special (green chili breakfast burrito-yum!) and the kids had oatmeal and chocolate chip pancakes (nothing like a bunch a sugar to start the day). All savory and yummy. Perfect for the entire family. I wish this chain was out in Texas! Don't miss:)
(5)
Asher H.
Price wise, Black Bear is pretty on point with other diners in town. And the portions are huge.... Honestly, too huge. I couldn't fit the whole thing in one photo...I ordered a vegetarian omelet with hash browns, and a pancake. The pancake filled me up so much that I couldn't eat anything else. ... but, it was quite delicious. Quite the perfect pancake, crispy outside, soft and light inside, and slightly sweet. Oh yeah, pancake gangster. So! Despite being overly full I shoved a few bites of the omelet and hash into my mouth, and it was all over cooked with a strange flavor. And they put cheese on it despite my request to leave it off... so I had to peel it off....an irritation, but not the end of the world. I have had a good breakfast come out of this place before... It just seems inconsistent. It's either on point, or over/under cooked. (thus the 3 stars vs. 4 star review) Personally, from here on, I think I'll strictly order the pancake and leave it at that. The coffee has never been burnt, the ice tea comes as regular which I appreciate, since I strongly dislike sweet tea, and the servers have always been courteous and kind. The hostesses on the other hand have been snobby on occasion, but well... They have to wear suspenders, and I like the comedy of that, so it evens out in my opinion. There are very few vegetarian options, and even less for vegans although they do have egg substitute (thank you!). Do not order egg white only, every time I have it's tasted like fish. And, that just... is fishy (awwww... Bad joke...). However, if you are actually good at making jokes the God awful Bear decor and artwork will give you plenty to laugh about during your meal. But one more thing... Yo.... Listen to me: Try the apple pie. You might poop your pants in shock from how good it is, but you'll still have apple pie that is unstoppably delicious despite your poop pants.
(3)
Tealah M.
Let's just say huge portions. I got the "volcano" Stacked pancakes with all bacon and scrambled eggs. The pancakes are huge and fluffy and the bacon was the thick delicious kind. Such good flavor with everything. Blows any other breakfast place out of the water. Husband got the chicken fried steak (large) and has browns and bisquits with eggs. The hash browns looked like three whole potatoes were used (wow) he said the chicken was perfect and delish. We also had a glass of the orange juice, which you could taste was fresh squeezed. Order was like $30 to go. We called in order and had a 10 minute wait and seen lots sitting outside when with 25 min wait Time when we picked up our order. The entire order was correct with nice to go Tupperware like boxes. Gave butter and syrup as well. Will be going back for a breakfast that keeps you full all day!!!
(5)
Heather H.
I can't even hate on this place. It's a cheesy Southern/American style restaurant, but unlike Cracker Barrel, it actually tastes like real food and not hot garbage. I got a boat load of fresh tasty sides of my choice for 7.99 off the vegetable plate and it was more than I could eat: an entire baked sweet potato, coleslaw, creamy mac and cheese, cinnamon apples and steamed broccoli and it was friggin' great. I will totally go back for more Sunday lunchin'.
(4)
Cat G.
If I could put 0 stars that would be way more fitting. Super disappointed because of the reviews, my turkey tasted watered down or just plain soggy. My partner got the meatloaf dinner and it was so badly burnt that they tried to cover it by soaking his whole plate in gravy. We were looking at a couple desserts but by the time the 6th fly landed to eat my food, I lost my appetite. Very unsanitary, and then we were brought out bill without the server even asking if we wanted dessert. Tried to discuss this with the manager and all he offered was a dessert, that our waitress didn't even ask us if we wanted. Why pay over $35 just for two ruined meals that you can't even eat without flies swarming you. No satisfaction, never want to go back, let alone recommend to a friend. I'm sorry I didn't go out to a restaurant to continually swat at flies while I attempt to eat, could of gone camping for that. The food would of tasted better at least!
(1)
Dan P.
Big food! I had the Jr. volcano and was stuffed from it. The food wasn't chart topping, but I enjoyed it. Free coffee while you wait was nice too. Staff wasn't super friendly and I stuck to the table a first from syrup. I'll go back when I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way when The Springs has so many champion breakfast places to go to. I may change my mind after a lunch or dinner trip, but 3 stars suits me for now.
(3)
Doug A.
The food was delicious this visit as always but this time the service was poor. The hostess smarted off because we weren't moving fast enough to suit her to be seated. Then the waitress was less than welcoming but did act nicer towards the end. Maybe the idea of her tip improved her mood. We won't let these actions stop us from dining there as have had good experiences in the past.
(4)
Julia P.
The portion sizes are decent, however the salads are lack luster. The cornbread muffins are delicious but the entrees lacked seasoning. I had the fried chicken but was not impressed by the lack of flavor. My husband had the chicken and waffles; he stated the waffles were a bit mushy. In the words of my sister, "it was nothing to write home about."
(3)
James H.
You will not be disappointed with the portion size, food quality, or service here. I fine alone often, and sit at the counter here about once a month. The service is always great, and I love the food. Try the spicy breakfast sausage, biscuits and gravy, or chicken fried steak but bring your appetite.
(5)
Katie H.
The breakfast here is your usual breakfast fare. Pancakes, omelettes, french toast, you get it. What sets it apart from village inn or dennys? The portions! They're so very generous which is great because when I want breakfast, I want the meal to last me all day. The service and food are timely but from my experiences (I have been here 3 times now) the wait staff are pretty short with you, unless maybe you are a regular. They're not rude by any means, but they don't engage. For me, going out to eat isn't just about the meal, its about the experience. Besides this, I've never had to wait long for a table which is great. If I didn't live up the street from here I wouldn't go out of my way to grab breakfast at this place but like I said - good food!
(4)
ColoradoSprings F.
This is the best place to take your family to. I enjoyed the food and the staff was friendly. I had the fried chicken dinner with waffle. The chicken was a little small in size for me but the taste was very good. The chicken was not overcooked. It was tender and juicy. The waffle was golden brown. It was better than the waffle at The Waffle House. Take it from Colorado Springs Food Guy, Black Bear Diner has great atmosphere and great food. Colorado Springs Food Guy Website: ColoradoSpringsFoodGuy.c… . Facebook: Colorado Springs Food Guy Twitter: @COSFoodGuy Instagram: COLORADOSPRINGSFOODGUY
(4)
David S.
Friendly atmosphere... Got a table right away. Portions are awesome. You get what you pay for! I will be back for sure!
(5)
Debbie B.
My hubbie got waffle with eggs and bacon. I got the same combo but with french toast. We split a cinnamon roll. My favorite part of my meal was the eggs n bacon. And the bite I had of his waffle was really good. My french toast was OK and the cinnamon roll was OK. By OK I mean nothing special. I'd like to come back and try something different or get a plate like I did but with a waffle or pancakes instead of french toast.
(4)
Marika F.
Don't come to this restaurant expecting Bernaise sauce and terrines. The draw is the portion sizes, all made for comfort and food coma induced hibernation. We waited 25 minutes for a table mid-morning on a Sunday. The place was packed and the staff were hustling in their black bear suspenders. We were asked for drink orders as soon we sat down by Georgia and I'm guessing this isn't the first time someone has wanted to call her a peach. She was great. We ordered the two biggest breakfasts on the menu: The Grizz and the Bigfoot Chicken Fried Steak. I wanted my boyfriend--a first timer who also has the stomach of a growing teenage boy--to get the full experience. I've never seen bigger biscuits. They filled the plate. They were tasty too: soft and flavorful. The rest of the food was as expected: cooked fine and served it's fast breaking purpose. We ordered coconut cream pie just to see what it would be like. It looked great but tasted like onions. It was either in a fridge with onions or the chef didn't fully wash his hands before pressing the crust into the pie pan. Pretty gross but we didn't bother putting in a complaint. Not a great finale to the meal but overall we say this is a decent place for a big breakfast fix.
(3)
Russell T.
A lot of what you would expect for meals from diner type restaurant, but the portions are big! I love it, I love the food, I love the atmosphere, and the staff is wonderful! Definitely recommended for a hearty, delicious breakfast with the family.
(5)
Keith L.
Yelp reviewers were telling the truth about portion sizes.. WOW! My chicken fried steak measured about 5" square with a huge portion of fries and bowl of green beans. Meal started with a large salad and finished up with coconut cream pie. The pie came in a tin pie shell and the serving was probably nearly double a standard slice of pie. Excellent sweet tea washed out all down. I'm awarding 3 stars because: * service was not very attentive * my order had to be sent back when it was presented because I had ordered the steak without gravy and the waitress apparently forgot to tell the kitchen * the waitress didn't offer dessert - I had to ask * prices are too high, despite the large portions - $27.07 for 1 person (with tip) is too much - the pie alone was $6
(3)
Laurel W.
Omg. Humongous portions. The staff is wonderul. I was pregnant and began to eat here almost very weekend. There was this young lady (staff) who remembered us each time. Though her comments could be offensive it was good to know that she remembered what we drank and ate. I didn't mind her saying I looked like I would burst open. Lol. Always a long wait on Saturday mornings. But u can call ahead and leave ur name. Makes ur wait time shorter.. great food though!
(5)
Myron P.
I like this place. The only thing I think could change is the time it takes to get your food here. It takes a while sometime. Other than that it's a great place to eat, esp if you have kiddos. Waiters are cool and authentic. I recommend this place.
(4)
Chris S.
Best breakfast in the Springs! Homemade corned beef hash! Fresh squeezed orange juice and amazing sandwiches. Bonus is great desserts and big booths for 6-8 people. Always great service and large portions. You can't go wrong here.
(5)
James H.
Reservation are taken for groups of 8 or more. Just good food and huge portions if you're in the mood for power eating.
(4)
Andrew C.
The food was good but nothing special. My wife and myself both got omelets. The flavor was just not there. It did not look like they use quality ingredients. The biscuit was the size of my face and pretty good but nothing compared to what I am used to from the south. Service was good and the place was clean overall, but it was just nothing special. I will probably not be back.
(3)
Thomas L.
Amazing! My wife and I were recommended by Front Range Honda a few weeks ago but didn't go - a mistake we won't make again! My daughter and I stopped in just before the huge Sunday crowd hit and sat at the counter. The portions are huge, the wait staff is great, and the food quality is 5 stars! My daughter had a scramble and I had the California Bacon Eggs Benedict. Perfectly cooked, with a great Hollandaise sauce. There's simply nothing to complain about at this place! Next time you're nearby - YOU MUST TRY iT!
(5)
Shawn M.
Great place for dinner. Almost too friendly of staff, but I'd rather they be friendly than rude! Food is decent, but watch out for the calories. Thankfully, they have a menu outlining all of the nutrition facts for each of their meals. One of what you would think would be the healthiest meals for you, salmon, is one of the worst for you, with over 2000 calories!
(4)
Mary S.
The chicken pot pie was so nasty! It was all mushroom and peas and cold. The mushrooms made the whole thing taste like mushrooms. The owner needs to taste it and fix it! And I agree with another review that the food is cafeteria tasting.
(2)
Rachel P.
I wouldn't scream over the top for this restaurant but it was good filling food. Mashed potatoes were a little cold and food tasted cafeteria like.
(3)
Al T.
Awesome service and really really good corned beef hash!! Huge portions and good price! My server Eric was polite and quick to take my order. Would recommend this place to everyone and also the sweet cream pancakes are to die for!!
(5)
Brinetta H.
The food here is really good. I went here for a birthday surprise breakfast with a friend. Sorry I can only vouch for breakfast food. So their pancakes are soooo good and they have egg whites on the menu which I really like : ) The reason for the knocked off star is the girl at the front desk was kind of rude when I asked if I could get our table when I already made a reservation. She made me wait until every single person was present before we could sit down and I mean every single person (one was running late) -_- seriously? The server at our table was really nice though and polite. He tended to our every need!
(4)
Brandon F.
American diner with a Colorado twist. Good food. Great prices. Server was perfect. He was very attentive. I had bacon and eggs and it was pretty good. The service was almost up to par with chick-fil-a.
(5)
Katie H.
Fantastic breakfast every time! We visit here often, we have also brought friends and family. I usually order the Volcano breakfast, with the granola pancakes. It's huge, but I take home part of it, since it reheats well. They have the coolest orange juice machine that makes an amazing glass of juice, order the large you'll be glad you did. The commercials don't really show how terrific this place is,but I highly recommend it. I forgot to mention the service is always welcoming and food is delivered quickly.
(5)
Jascia R.
Ordered the Bears Choice: 2 eggs, 2 giant pancakes, and 2 slices bacon. So delicious! Could only eat one pancake. Service was fast and friendly. The decor was country.
(5)
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Address :975 N Academy Boulevard,Suite A
Colorado Springs, CO, 80909
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Michael P.
My wife and I had the Bacon Bleu Burger and large Chicken Fried steak. Oh my. What great flavors and taste. We loved the Black Bear motif everywhere, as well. The service was great. Bought the 7-9 inch long Bear Claw. (We'll have to share that one.). It didn't fit in the square 'to go' tray. It was so big. They have breakfast. We'll be back before we have to drive out to South Dakota. And then back to San Antonio TX. We'll have to take a detour and come back through Colorado Springs so that we can eat here again. We'll see you in the morning!!
(5)Lindsay B.
Glad I finally tried black bear diner! The pies are possibly the best thing on the menu but the chicken fried steak is quite delicious as well (the gravy is a sausage gravy and too sweet for me so I'd order without next time, the green beans tasted like water, the Caesar dressing was quite spicy, but the cornbread was amazing!
(5)Trisha F.
Huge portions, great atmosphere, waitstaff are very friendly. Best damn pancake I've ever had too! I ordered the corned beef hash and mixed it all together for a delicious filling breakfast.
(5)Keebler F.
Pretty good. But expensive. They use to have a habanero hot sauce on their tables, but no more
(3)Rick C.
Better than expected food. Had to wait for a bit because of the crowd but viewing the mountains and visting family was perfect. Breakfast burrito was terrific, great texture on the tortilla, ingredients were very flavorful and the service was spot on. Totally "Bearable"!!
(5)Neal E.
We stopped in for dinner one evening. I ordered the Summer Harvest Salad and a Chicken Pot Pie. My colleague had a salad and the T-Bone steak with bakes potato. I selected a Balsamic vinaigrette, which was not listed on the menu. The salad had lots of berries and nuts, with crisp lettuce, cucumbers, mushrooms, and more. It was a decent salad, but nothing to make you say "wow." We had only had our salads for a minute - and they were already bringing out our dinner entrees. It would have been nice to have some time to finish eating our salads before our entrees were brought out! My chicken pot pie was pretty tasty, I added some black pepper to it as I always do. The crust on the pot pie was really good, I made sure I got all the bits! Service was okay, again, would have preferred a delay to allow us to finish eating our salads before the rest of the food came out. As the name implies - there are lots of Bears in here - decor and some Bear stuff for sale!
(3)Jessica S.
Typical IHop / Denney's style place. Portions are huge!! Breakfast was great. I had fiesta eggs. A lot of options on their menu. If you don't want breakfast they do serve some tasty looking burgers as well as other things. Service was good. Prices fare.
(4)Jack H.
Not thrilled with this place for a couple of reasons; draft blowing on the table, ensuring food was cold almost immediately. told 'all the tables are like that'. Biscuits moved out of the biscuit realm and into plain white bread about halfway to their current size. Bigger is not always better! about a quarter of the plate was the actual omelet, the rest carbs. not much good for me at this place, I won't be back.
(2)Cecily A.
I came here for my company Christmas party (with reservations) and noticed they had all 13 of us crammed into two tables with NO elbow room. After a table nearby left, they pushed together another table for us. The waitress was clearly annoyed yet attentive and the food def made up for us originally being crammed in. Portion size was huge and well worth the price. Will definitely be back in.
(4)Colin H.
This place is awesome. Food is amazing and portions are huge. Pricing is not that bad. Well worth the wait.
(4)Lawrence N.
This is a Western franchise but one that is obviously well run. My eyes locked onto the menu's bacon cheeseburger salad. Yes, it is a salad but with a side of decadence. It was healthy, and not so healthy but oh so delicious. Everyone at our table left satisfied by not only the quality of the food but the level of service. I would definitely return to this or another location.
(4)Julia Cameron D.
I came with my kids and grand kids the day after Halloween and really enjoyed the morning. I love the chainsaw sculptures of bears outside, I love the murals and paintings inside. Booth is spacious and comfy and easy to see everyone around the table even in a big group like ours which is the whole point of brunching together. I had iced tea, light and crisp and refreshing and a glass of the best orange juice I have ever had in a restaurant which I credit to the fact they squeeze it seconds before they bring it to you. I had the vegetarian omelette with a side of hollandaise because if a place can make a decent hollandaise from scratch chances are good everything else will be great. Hollandaise was wonderful although I prefer just a tad more lemon. Waitress was great and efficient and attentive without being a bother. I liked the over all vibe of seeing all kinds of people enjoying the morning with their people. Definitely a gather place. Happy my kids live so close to it and I can enjoy many more pleasant mornings there with them.
(5)Deborah T.
Very good food, fun decor, large portions for fair price. Lots of locals so we knew it must be good.
(4)Jessica H.
Love there food it's amazing I always get the super blt. They are a little big expensive but you get huge portions. The also have a hamburger challenge at some point that would be fun to try.
(5)Missy B.
This restaurant has really started to grow on me. Literally. The portions are HUGE!! But apart from that, the staff is always friendly and I have never had a bad experience. I have only ever ordered breakfast here and their blueberry pancakes are to die for! They are humongous, though, so I can usually only ever eat one. They serve their coffee in a mug that feels so homey and I'll bet you can't drink it all before they come by to fill you up. Also, it always seems to be busy (especially on Sundays with the 'after-church' crowd) so be prepared for a little wait. Overall, I enjoy this restaurant and would recommend it to anyone looking for a hearty breakfast or a heart attack.
(4)Michael W.
Clean, quick and delicious. Finally got to try out Black Bear a few weeks ago after hearing good things. I can say that I was definitely impressed and pleased. I went with my wife on a Sunday morning, so of course it was pretty busy. The waiting area is nice and the staff a very welcoming. We had about a 10 minute wait which was pretty good since it was packed. We got to our booth and ordered up our feast. My wife got the chorizo scramble and I got 2 eggs over easy with toast and bacon. The food came out ridiculously fast, which is always a nice surprise. The food was very fresh and had great flavor. The only slight downside is that our water seemed preoccupied with multiple tables, so he did not show as much attention as I would have liked. Other than that the service was great and the food was even better. Everything I was told about this place was true. Great service, better food and a price that was very reasonable. The food was so good that we will be coming back to try out the lunch/dinner. Highly recommended.
(5)Kimberly I.
We have eaten at Blackbear twice. The first time there was a bit of a wait but it was Sturday so no surprise there. The decor is cute! The service has always been fine. Food is good. It can take a while to get the food but the portions make up for the wait. We always go home with food left over. The bears for sale are spendy so we steer the kids away from that area.
(5)Susi H.
In my constant search of new places, I tried this for breakfast last weekend. It is a chain restaurant, which in my book is already taking a star off the top, but it's not too bad. The decor inside is kind of kitschy-bear-cabin like but it feels inviting and comfy. Their 'thing' is the portion size. This is MAMMOTH size portions we are talking about. The bear claw I had was literally bigger than my head! The plates that my friends received were overstuffed with food too! The quantity is however not necessarily an indication of quality. My bearclaw was too sweet, and the food I tried from all the other plates was just a-ok. It's an ok place to stop by if you are in the area, but I am not sure I'd go out of my way to come back ;)
(3)Courtney P.
As close to home cookin from what I've had in the springs so far. The chicken fried steak & meatloaf is sooo good!
(4)Miranda M.
I have yet to have a bad experience at a black bear diner. I've been to two in California, three in Arizona, and now here. Huge menu, great food, outstanding service. What more could you want? Definitely one of my favorite restaurants.
(5)David W.
Food was yummy. I had the chicken fried steak. My son had the tri tip. Wife had the fish and chips. Daughter had the chicken parma. I had a bite of from each of thier dishes and they were all tasty in their own way. Our server Marissa was on the ball with refills and helpful when it came to subistitions for my sons dish. Will be visiting again next trip out here.
(5)Paul S.
Meticulously clean was the first thing I noticed when I walked in. All the employees I walked past greeted me warmly which I appreciate. Eric, the server at the bar, gave me some off the best service I have had in CS. None of that over the top polite, disingenuous banter, just straight to the point, attentive and courteous service and was very knowledgeable. The coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice was amazing and went great with the California eggs Benedict, which was also amazing. I will definitely come back. Great job Black Bear.
(5)Cory B.
Eat here people! You won't be sorry. Had the cinnamon roll French toast. I'm going to try to make it here a few times a month for sure! BTW it's totally cheap for breakfast!
(5)Montana W.
Friendly staff, huge portions, good food! The rolls, y'all. It's like ordering a tiny loaf of bread. I ordered the Volcano from the "light" breakfast menu with a side of biscuit(s) and gravy. There was nothing light about it, but it sure was tasty... And so were the leftovers I brought home.
(4)Gladys O.
My husband, son, and I visit Black Bear often. My son loves their macaroni and cheese- and the Sunday that comes with the kids meal. My husband enjoys the giant hamburgers, with thick cut bacon, pickle spears, crispy lettuce, and juicy beef pattie. I typically go for the rueben, which never fails to delight and fill me up. Their fries are a warm, crispy, perfectly salted side of delicious as well. If you're not full after your meal, I highly suggest trying their cobblers ( I believe they have peach and berry) alamode or a warm bread pudding (my favorite!)
(5)Lissete D.
We have never had a bad meal at Black Bear. I am not a breakfast person, but we only have dined here for breakfast. Go figure. The portions are large and I can never finish on my own. I always order the Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs. I don't eat eggs, so that automatically goes to my husband. The CFS is always delicious and the gravy is perfect. It comes with potatoes and a biscuit. The biscuit is huge, but I usually change the biscuit for a pancake. Their pancakes are, in my opinion, the best on the planet. The pancake is the size of the plate. I eat this like bread, with butter only. Yum! Price point is reasonable for what you get. Service at this location has always been friendly and efficient. They usually are on a wait on weekends. Especially for breakfast, so come prepared. Totally worth the wait.
(5)Tiara W.
Love Black bear, especially for breakfast! You can't go wrong with their pancakes, prices are good and portions are generous. Sometimes it can be a wait to get it on the weekends but it's totally worth the wait. If you love burgers and are in for lunch try bobs burger with fries! Seriously the BEST for breakfast.
(5)Terry W.
This isn't the type of place you would expect for it's location because it seems like it might be just another franchise in the Springs but actually it is a great place to eat. Just all around great staff and the food is excellent. All I recommend is to wear some stretch pants because you will be served allot of food.
(5)A J.
Don't threaten me!! Had breakfast here today. The food was ok, nothing to brag about. The problem occurred when my ten dollar breakfast burrito showed up. It was suppose to be covered in green chili. It had a couple spoonfuls sitting on top... not enough for enjoying the AVERAGE sized burrito. I asked for a little more green chili. The lady comes back with a small side and says, "My manager says next time we'll have to charge you, but this time its free." Are you going to take my picture and put it on the wall? Take my name? If you want to charge me for something do it!! Don't act like you're doing me a favor by bringing me what you should have done right the first time!!! Don't worry about "Next time".
(2)Eand F.
Really good food, great service, unbelievable portions. If you suffer from Arcotophobia (a fear of bears), you may want to avoid this place. But for those of you who find the little buggers adorable this place is right up your alley.
(4)JA C.
Food is amazing each time I go there. The service is hit or miss. I've had the bad luck of getting the same female server several times and EACH time she never knows my table is in her area. So we wait and wait for someone to come to our table. I get that once this could happen but not 3 times. I still go there but I make sure I don't get the server with the blondish highlighted hair.
(3)Heather Z.
Absolutely love this place. Have lived in Colorado Springs for a year and a half so far, have been here about 10 times and I haven't been disappointed ever. Really great food every time! Have a big variety to choose from as well. Love it
(5)Jay C.
Food yes! Service not so much....usually slow to get food. This trip we arrived with 2 out of 3 in our party and we're told to wait. Really? They weren't busy at all and god forbid you get coffee and a table while you wait for 1/3 of your party. This will be my last visit.
(2)Phil E.
This place is not the best we've encountered in your wonderful country, but it's a really good feed, and the management and staff care to make sure they do the best they can at a very reasonable price. I'm deeply carnivorous, and loooooove ribs. Black Bear's are good. If it hadn't been for Black Bear on N Academy, our Colorado Springs experience would have been less than pleasant. Unless silver service is your thing, you won't go wrong stopping in here for a feed!!
(4)Aretha M.
I like this place it's has great American food with large portion servings, enough to where you could split a plate if wanted or take half home for later.
(4)Adam G.
I've heard a lot about the Black Bear Diner and after finally eating there I have to say wow!! The portions are huge and everything tastes great!! I got the stuffed Chicken, mashed potatoes with country gravy, sautéed veggies and chicken noodle soup. All of it was spectacular and I had a full meal to take home! Well worth it and they're open until 10!
(4)LaTonia W.
I'm giving them 5 stars solely because they have the BEST SWEET CREAM PANCAKES this side of the solar system. And these said pancakes are the size of a plate which makes them SUPER BIG! I have been here many times. I live in Denver but I go to Colorado Springs...an hour+ away for these darn pancakes. My younger daughter (14yrs) loves their Cinnamon toast pancakes and although not to big, my older daughter (25yrs) swears by their bacon cheeseburger which she requests bleu cheese. My husband has had their all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs and they fall off the bone, are very meaty with no bunch of fat anywhere and the sauce is pretty darn yummy (I know because I always eat 1 or 2). I don't know where they get their sausage from but whether you order links or patties, they are GI-NORMOUS! And they are soooooo freakin' delicious! The staff has always been very friendly and although you do have to wait a while for your food...It comes out piping HOT! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS PLACE!
(5)Tim W.
I tried this restaurant three times because of a friend's rave reviews. The first time, I had a hot beef sandwich that was so fatty and tough that I couldn't cut it with a knife. The second time, I had corned beef hash and eggs where the corned beef hash was stringy and overcooked. It was like eating toothpicks. The third time, I had a cheeseburger that was cooked rare instead of medium-well. Three strikes, you're out. I'll find someplace else.
(1)Les G.
I love this place so much. Lived in Colorado Springs for 2 years and now live back in Texas where we don't have Black Bear Diners. :( I miss this place and its wonderful customer service and food. Their breakfast and dinner is just fantastic. Best pancakes I've had in a very long time. Really great environment and really great food. When I return to Colorado I'm going here again!
(5)Demitri R.
Had a 15 Minute wait to be seated but it was a Saturday so what do you expect. I had the French Toast Breakfast with Eggs and Ham. The portions are big which is why I just went with this, didnt want a huge breakfast. My Server was awesome and attentive and never let my drink run to the south end of the levy. My Friend had the Bigger French Toast Breakfast with the steak and that looked good, but her steak was a little to pink for my tastes and she had to take some home. I took the bread pudding home, with the sauce, and it was huge. I couldnt even finish it all. And Black Bear is reasonably priced and they have stuff for sale to take home. Also cant go wrong with Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice.
(5)Mike M.
Really wish I could give this place 0 stars. I ordered their "special", chicken fried steak. Not the worst ever but just really bland and no flavor going on. How hard is it to season flour? I love mashed potatoes and ate one bite and did not go back for a second. The gravy was decent for Colorado but too thick for me. The French onion soup was more like French onion deuce. One bite of that steamed onion and mush bowl with 2 tablespoons of broth and I sent it back for a salad. Sautéed veg and salad were good. Other people I was with ordered spaghetti with meat balls, holy crap I honestly don't even think my dog would have eaten it. It looked awful, toast didn't look bad though. All in all I will not go back for a second helping of that dog food gut bomb, and am assuming they have good breakfast since they have so many great reviews, I don't see how that place stays in business.
(1)DeWayne F.
The food is OK but the marketing program to have people eat 4 pounds of meat and a pound of fries in 45 minutes earns this place a big fat 1 star :(
(1)George L.
Fresh Orange Juice and pretty good dark toast coffee. Ordered the Bears Choice w/French Toast, crispy bacon, eggs soft and a side of hash browns. Can't go with a 5 star rating simply because much like all of the other places in town...no one knows how to make eggs truly soft scrambled, that may come from not using "shelled" eggs and only having a slurry. The French Toast, while tasty was not "hot" when it arrived. My bacon was perfect and the hash browns were almost a meal in its self. I'll come back and give it another go again in the future.
(4)Liz K.
Service was super friendly, atmosphere was quite cute. Food was good, cooked properly and quite tasty. One small mistake with my order (Thousand Island Dressing has no right to exist) but it was rectified quickly and courteously. We were checked on multiple times, refills were prompt, and my burger came with enough fries I could've lived off of them for a week.
(5)Veronica C.
My favorite diner. I've been to this location and Lake Havasu, AZ. As diners go they don't get any better. Great service, value, and ambiance. I love their cobbler, eggs benedict choices, and biscuits with gravy. Lighter choices are also available on the menu (big selection). The food tastes homemade. Highly recommended!
(5)OB O.
Pretty good diner. If you like quantity of food you'll love this place. You leave full. I had okay service, but the place was very busy.
(3)Tiffany B.
Came here for an early morning breakfast and was pleasantly surprised. The food tasted like a home cooked meal Mom would make on Sunday morning. The decor was warm and inviting, and our waitress Georgia was just as sweet as she wanted to be. I look forward to returning and trying other dishes.
(4)Tim K.
I've been to Black Bear Diner several times over the years and have always been a fan of their large portions and good 'ol American food. Today's experience was very lackluster. The restaurant was very dead for 4:45pm on a Sunday, and it took several minutes to be seated. After our order was placed it took about 30 minutes for the food to arrive. The food was pretty good, even if the Reuben didn't have as much meat as I remember them packing in there. And the restaurant didn't have spicy mustard. The service throughout the entire meal was super slow. So slow that we had to track down our server to get our change before leaving. A person at table nearby was offered free dessert because they had screwed her order up. I'm sure I'll be back, today seemed like a fluke, and not the Sandra type.
(2)Bobby A.
There is one reason and one reason only why I keep going back to the Black Bear Diner (I've now been to the ones at Mount Shasta, CA, Phoenix, AZ and now Colorado Springs, CO). Garlic Fries. I have no idea why the garlic culture never took hold in a foodie city like Montreal but until it does, I have to wait for my trips to the West Coast to get my garlic fix done right. It's nothing complicated, just diced cooked garlic smothered on fries, sounds simple enough, which is why I fail to understand why more places don't offer it. Anyway, whenever I come here for lunch, I always make sure that my sandwich or burger comes with garlic fries. I have no idea about their breakfasts or dinners, since I've never tried them, but I'm guessing it's pretty decent. Portions are huge and you can take it home also. Friendly service.
(4)TrevinoFamily H.
Can't go wrong at the Black Bear Diner. So many choices in the style of Home cookin! Healthy (meaning Hefty not Skimpy) portions...We've never left hungry. Breakfast served all day :) Have always had great service and have never had any complaints.
(5)Jessi T.
Why is everything smothered in gravy? I wish I knew they were that smothered before ordering. i couldnt taste anything but the gravy. My boyfriend liked his pot roast though. Yuck
(2)Liz E.
I love coming to this place when I crave a hearty meal. The service is friendly and attentive. The portion sizes are big, so come with a good appetite.
(4)David G.
Huge portions unless you specify otherwise. Mine is huge today. A great diner.
(4)Cookie M.
Great Breakfast!!! Come here hungry. We usually get the omelette with a pancake (instead of the toast). And the biscuits and gravy are yummy! You definitely get your money's worth over here.
(4)Cianna R.
Great food, service so-so, fresh squeezed OJ great but warm :/ We have ordered from Black Bear Diner for about 3 months, when they were a part of Cuisine on The Scene, and now that the management switched, Black Bear is no longer and option and that saddened my household. But we went to dine in last Friday, around 11, and we were shocked at how busy it was for a Friday afternoon, it was Sunday afternoon crowds. But the restaurant moved fast, and within 15 minutes we were seated. Our waitress was an older lady, pleasant but seemed like her section might have been to busy for her, she was constantly passing us by before she had time to get our order. The table seated next to us, who came in after us, got their food first, which was slightly upsetting as we had already been waiting 10 minutes. Finally, we ordered and got our drinks, which were good but my fresh squeezed OJ was quite warm, which I was not a fan of. Our meals were to die for, which I knew going in, I had open faced meatloaf, with mashed potatoes, and it was amazing and my boyfriend got the burger basket and loved it, though they left off his 1,000 island dressing. Flagging down our waitress to order dessert was a task, but after holding the dessert menu for about 7 minutes, she finally stopped and asked if we wanted dessert and any else, and we got the apple cobbler a la mode, and it was WONDERFUL! :) Hot, great apples, tasty crust, cold ice cream! The place isn't super cheap but a really good deal for the amount of food you get, and they offer smaller portions for a bunch of their dishes, I will be going again, but I wished they were still an option for home delivery, as we don't have a car and love to order them for dinner some nights!
(3)Christena M.
Best pancakes I have ever tasted! Always friendly service! Whenever I visit a city with a black bear diner I must visit! Big portions, great prices!
(5)Jennifer O.
We went there around 10 am this morning. The staff was NOT friendly at all. We had a party of 6 and a baby, you would have thought that they had to rearrange the entire restaurant for us. It took about 15 minutes to get our table ready, despite the fact that they were almost empty. Our waitress was very rude, not even a smirk on her face much less a smile or polite attitude. My father in law had to repeatedly call her over to take our order, as we had been waiting to order for almost 30 minutes. When our order finally arrived (11:47 am almost 2 hours after we arrived) the food was beyond horrible. I ordered an omelette which was way over cooked, burnt on the edges, and the "hash browns" were not cooked and you could see the chunks of rotten potatoes on my plate. The waitress came over to bring us our check and asked if I was done. Before I could even say anything she noticed the rotten mess of potatoes and said oh sorry about that. She ran into the kitchen with my plate. Another 15 minutes goes by and she comes with the check and informs us that they just took $2 off our bill. Gee thank you for letting me know, it is not like I came here to eat because I am hungry. My food was not the only bad food either. But I think everyone gets the point here. Orange juice is great the food is not good at all. I would not even feed this garbage to my dogs. Thank you so much for ruining my Mother in laws birthday breakfast.
(1)Susan B.
Okay, so I know I'm gonna get a whooping for this, but if this is "all that", then I'm definitely not meant for Colorado. We have been told about this place for 6+ months before deciding to eat here. I love eating at mom and pop shops, but this was not one of them! We were not impressed. I ordered sweet cream cakes (which they supposedly famous for) and they were okay, but the plastic tasting butter ruined it for me. My husband ordered the t-bone... and this is where the problems start; ordered it medium, steak came out rare. There was a non-existent filet and the steak was burned on one side, like charred. How in the world do you char one side of a 1/4" steak and have it come out rare? Can not say I will visit this one again.
(2)Heather G.
This is one of my favorite places to go! The staff is always friendly and the food is always good. The biscuits and gravy are the best I have found in the Springs. I've tried several different things off their menu and I have never been disappointed.
(5)Rhea N.
I've been here for breakfast, lunch and dinner; it always surprises me that there's not a lot of customers there at one time since it's such a great place to eat. The portions are always huge and the prices are shockingly low (especially for the amount served). My husband had ordered biscuits and gravy one time and I was very impressed with the size of the biscuits. It's kid friendly and has such a friendly atmosphere. I especially love the smiley face fries they give my kids...it's always a hit with them. They also had an all you can eat ribs for under $10 and the first set of ribs were definitely "fall off the bone" material...just a bit too much bbq sauce for my taste. Second set of ribs started to become a tad bit too dry, but hey, it was all you can eat--you can't really fault them for that too much :)
(4)Greg H.
I love this place for lunch in particular because I've never been there any other time, but I'm sure it'd be GREAT then too. I'm currently working down the street, so because of the pleasant experiences and consistently impressive variety of food, we bring people here all the time individually or in groups. You can really go wrong with anything that you order here. It's all amazingly filling and all cooked specifically to your order, and it's pretty quick. The staff is always helpful and on top of their duties. Two of the most randomly cool features here are the pies that look like little pot pies and then the fresh OJ juicer machine! They just dump in whole oranges in the top and through they go. They get cut in half, spun around, squeezed out, and out go the peels. It's awesome.
(4)Shannon T.
We went here after church on Easter Sunday...There was a 25 minute wait so we just sat at the bar so we could eat right away...I had the Corned beef and hash and it was so great..it shredded and so delicious. I will definitely be back.
(5)Gary K.
What a great place!! Total "bear" theme. Great mountain lodge decor. The menu is like an old newspaper. Very cool. Huge variety of entrees ranging from steak to soup and sandwiches. I chose the home style meatloaf with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. OHHHHH SOOOOO YUMMMMMMY!!!!! HUGE portions... no room for dessert at all, though they did seem to have a great selection!! I would have liked to have gone back and tried some of their other items... but was only in town for a short business trip. They have daily specials which all looked very tasty... Based on what I had, I can imagine that everything they serve is equally good. Our server was awesome... totally friendly and funny!! Highly recommended!!
(4)Quentin Y.
Bottom line up front.....the food was good, plentiful and relatively cheap. This was our first visit. We arrived to the restaurant about 9 o'clock on a Saturday morning. The restaurant was half filled with patrons and we were immediately seated. Now while the name of the restaurant is Black Bear Diner, the ambiance does not match that of a true diner. The atmosphere was cozy and warm with young bubbly servers moving around franticly with trays of food. We noticed other's plates and were amazed at the ample amount of food served. I ordered the Hungry Man (NY Strip, three eggs and country fried potatoes), the wife enjoyed The Volcano (short stack of notorious 7 grain Almond Granola Pancakes, 2 sausage links, 2 strips of bacon and 2 eggs). We did wait for about 25 minutes for our dishes to be delivered, so I would not recommend going if you are already experiencing hunger pains...or have kids who are easily irritable because they have to wait for food. My steak was cooked to perfection; the waiter who asked me to cut into the meat to insure my satisfaction of the doneness verified this. My lady's pancakes were remarkable! Sweetness combined with a slight crunch equated to bliss. The sausage links were tender with a hint of maple. Our meals with coffee totaled about $26.00. The establishment does offer military discounts if you inquire. By the time we left....there was a waiting line! We will sure to be returning for lunch and dinner.
(4)Emily C.
We picked this place for a quick lunch after reading reviews here on Yelp. It has since become our favorite diner in the Springs. We've eaten here quite a few times in the past couple weeks. The food is great as is the service, and the bear decor is very cute. We loved the burger with cheddar and bacon pieces mixed into the burger. It has a lot of flavor. Probably my favorite thing on the menu thus far is the California Benedict. Great hollandaise and the bacon and avocado make for an exciting flavor combination. We've also tried the desserts and the pies are great as well as the shakes. If you're looking for some reasonably-priced, delicious American diner food in the Springs, this is definitely the place you should go!
(5)Michelle M.
We came here for dinner and left disappointed. Because the menu kept bragging about big portions, we were excited at the prospect of bringing leftovers home. I ordered the Breaded Deep-Fried Shrimp and my husband had the Western BBQ Burger. I received only 6 shrimp - the rest of the plate was all fries and a small side dish. My husband's burger was good, but nothing to write home about, and not particularly big. Again, his plate was mostly fries, so if you come here mainly to eat fries, you'll be fine. It was a fine place to try once, but we'll give it a pass next time.
(3)Peggy T.
used to be one of my favorites, but lately it's not been that good. Avoid the fried chicken- the breading was heavy and soggy and the chicken pieces looked like the left overs after they had used the more choice pieces for their stuffed chicken breasts and pot pies. It looked like a lot of food, but with a chicken wing, neck, thigh, and what appeared to be a chicken breast but had very little meat, the meal was heavy on starchy carbs with little protein. The sauteed vegetables were good and the salads are fresh though unimaginative.Even the onion rings seems like a skinny little piece of onion with lots of breading. Really Popeye's chicken is far more tasty and larger portions & probably no worst nutritionally at a fraction of the cost. I've always found the service good and the wait-persons friendly.
(3)Nick A.
There are three awesome things about this place: mastatodian portions, biscuits so large they look like they could be the stones used to construct the ancient city of R'lyeh, and delicious fresh squeezed orange juice. Otherwise, it's can basically be filled away into any number of other breakfast places around the Springs. We came here on the advice of a friend to satiate a post binge-drinking need for sustenance, and immediately became excited when I saw the fresh squeezed OJ. I ordered a mimosa with it, and quickly set my mind right. We ordered food, which arrived quickly, and were pleased with the huge portions. Although good, nothing we had ordered really blew us away, flavor wise. The menu has a wide variety of standard diner fair, and no real standouts - with the exception of the Cinnamon Bun French Toast, which unfortunately no one was really prepared to try for fear of immediately exploding into an formless, immobile, obese mass. I will probably be back to trying after running a marathon, as that is probably the only way to achieve caloric equilibrium after eating something like that. With some of the other spectacular breakfast places I have been to, this one doesn't quite find itself a cut above the rest. Don't let that turn you off, though - for some down-homey comfort food with great service, this is definitely a place worth checking out.
(3)Kim K.
This is a pretty good breakfast place. I haven't had any of their "regular" food, just breakfast. The pancakes are pretty good, but the country potatoes weren't crispy at all and the onions and peppers were practically non-existent. The biscuits and gravy though are AMAZING. The biscuits are huge and light and taste wonderful, and the gravy is perfect (not at all like pudding, yay!). They also offer fresh squoze OJ, which=YOM. Oh and they have mini-pies you can buy! I never have though because I'm so stuffed when i leave.
(3)Shamonn M.
So last night we went to Black Bear Diner after trick or treating. My son was still in costurme so the first thing the manager says is your son can eat for free...shoot I was excited cause this kid can eat! I ordered the Big Bob's Bacon Burger and my husband ordered the Chicken Fried Steak. This burger was huge but I was hungry. Love it...the burger was cooked perfectly and it had a lot of toppings. I really enjoyed this. Also, make sure you guys order a sweet tea or an Arnold Palmer. Not to mention the waiter and the staff were very friendly. This is the second time we've been in there and great service both times! Check it out you guys!
(4)David E.
This diner is one of my favorites in the Springs. The staff is friendly and attentive and the whole place feels like a good comfy diner. I think breakfast is their specialty but they have lunch, dinner and even wine/beer. Last time I came here was right after climbing the Incline (1 mile of stairs, 3 1/2 miles of a trail run down). Exhausted and hungry, I ordered one of their delicious omelets, a coffee and a water. I don't think the coffee nor the water were ever empty (despite how much I was drinking). The omelet was delicious and the background music was pleasantly 50s. I'd recommend you give Black Bear Diner a whirl and taste what a real diner should be like. Maybe I'll see you there!
(4)Randy E.
Best dining experience I've had in awhile. Great food and service.
(4)Jim H.
Poor food. Poor preparation of the poor food. Most items either under seasoned or over seasoned. Poor service. On top of that, the locations in Sandy UT and Boise ID were similarly poor (thanks to my parents we were drug to three locations of this chain of franchises). And to add insult to injury, the prices are ridiculously high for such a poor product.
(1)Alicia H.
For being in the middle of BFE this is the spot to hit!
(4)Danielle G.
This use to be our favorite place to eat breakfast or dinner hands down...we will not be back after our last experience. Service was extremely slow, my pancakes came out raw in the middle, and my husbands order was also wrong. I could understand if they were super busy but they were not. We use to visit 3-4 a month but not any more...very disappointing.
(1)Jay B.
Big portions of good comfort food: omlettes, meat loaf, turkey dinner, burgers, onion rings...Even though it's a franchise feels more homey. Good for families.
(5)John N.
I've been here several times now, but I always seem to order the Spanish Omelet. Eggs, green peppers, chorizo, cheese, salsa what's not to like? HUGE portions, friendly staff, good food, but for me, it's all about the OJ. Normally, I'm not an OJ guy, but the BBD has this OJ machine - so all the OJ is literally fresh-squeezed - it's amazing! Just absolutely delicious. The food and service are great, big portions and that yummy OJ! - 4 stars
(4)Rory C.
Meh. Let's be honest, it's a chain with chain-y type food. Orange juice was good, biscuit was insane, everything else was over salted and undercooked.
(2)Shun F.
If I had to describe this place with one word, it would be this: Hearty. Even for me, the portions at this restaurant were huge (which always makes me happy). Most times when my friends tell me that the portions are big, this is my modus operandi. 1) Strut into the place. 2) Order 2 entrees. 3) Laugh at them for their inferior portion skills. Unfortunate for me, it shames me to say, that I actually had to take home a doggie bag from this place. I ordered the corned beef with hash, plus the country potatoes and a side of homemade Italian sausage. Lets just say that I had enough starch and carbs to last me for a couple days. But, you only live once, right? Go to this restaurant when you are absolutely starving and in need for some greasy goodness.
(3)Mary W.
I've eaten there twice. The sodium levels in this food are ridiculous. I must say I did love the hash browns though.
(2)Aaron M.
Great restaurant. The service was friendly and the portions were huge. I would recommend the breakfast items. They serve it all day. I also saved using the gift certificate from RubberDollar.com .
(5)Colin Z.
Huge portions yet reasonably priced. Our waiter was very friendly and efficient, along with the other staff. I ordered one of the combo dinners ( ribs and tri- cut steak) and my wife ordered the Alaskan salmon dinner. Both arrived piping hot. Would definitely return!
(5)Phoebe A.
If you like Cracker Barrel or MiMi's you will LOVE the Black Bear Diner!! Everything about it is great! If you are hungry check it out!!
(5)Julie W.
The OJ really is a feat all on it's own! It is very good. A great place for breakfast after a long night of beer pong indeed. Friendly service and a fun atmosphere. This genuinely has become one of my favorite places for breakfast.
(4)Bert B.
Just your good, basic American dining. It is a chain, after all, so it doesn't deserve the accolades of a family-owned operation like the Mason Jar. But, worth driving across town. Friendly staff, generous portions, reasonable prices. For a decent but not bank-busting dinner out, go for it! Better than most.
(4)Line C.
We've been to Black Bear a few times. We love their breakfasts, but my favorite is the chicken club. It has swiss cheese, bacon, and avocado. Their portions are generous and prices are very reasonable. I've always wanted to take home their mini pies because they're just so cute, but by the end of the meal, even the thought of pie is too much! They also have a 10% military discount. The service is quick and friendly, like a real hometown diner.
(4)Dan C.
After a fall start here in the Springs (I'm looking at you WH). I have finally reached Valhalla.
(5)Alicia R.
I've been there only twice so far (and the second time was spent chasing a toddler the whole time - ugh!), but so far I've really enjoyed it. The food has been good, and the service great. I like the atmosphere, and I love the machine they have for making fresh orange juice. The prices are good and the menus are fun. Definitely a place I'll be returning to soon.
(4)krissy r.
you will get A LOT of food. my husband ordered 'the grizz', which consisted of an enormous amount of hash browns, pancakes, three eggs, sausage, and ham. he made a brilliant showing and completed everything but the tail end of the hash browns. i had tuna salad with avocado and swiss cheese. it was straight forward and a little lacking in the taste arena. however, the saving grace was the decadent bear claw, covered with icing and filled with nutty, cinnamon goodness. served with butter, of all things.
(3)Bunny G.
What a wonderful find! Please come here for a great homestyle breakfast you won't be disappointed. There's something on the menu for everyone and portions are manly size so you won't feel cheated when the bill comes. Service is friendly, food is delicious, ambiance is cute and fun for kids and grown-ups. Views out the window let you peak at the mountains and on this day we watched the hot air balloons during the festival. We had the special (green chili breakfast burrito-yum!) and the kids had oatmeal and chocolate chip pancakes (nothing like a bunch a sugar to start the day). All savory and yummy. Perfect for the entire family. I wish this chain was out in Texas! Don't miss:)
(5)Asher H.
Price wise, Black Bear is pretty on point with other diners in town. And the portions are huge.... Honestly, too huge. I couldn't fit the whole thing in one photo...I ordered a vegetarian omelet with hash browns, and a pancake. The pancake filled me up so much that I couldn't eat anything else. ... but, it was quite delicious. Quite the perfect pancake, crispy outside, soft and light inside, and slightly sweet. Oh yeah, pancake gangster. So! Despite being overly full I shoved a few bites of the omelet and hash into my mouth, and it was all over cooked with a strange flavor. And they put cheese on it despite my request to leave it off... so I had to peel it off....an irritation, but not the end of the world. I have had a good breakfast come out of this place before... It just seems inconsistent. It's either on point, or over/under cooked. (thus the 3 stars vs. 4 star review) Personally, from here on, I think I'll strictly order the pancake and leave it at that. The coffee has never been burnt, the ice tea comes as regular which I appreciate, since I strongly dislike sweet tea, and the servers have always been courteous and kind. The hostesses on the other hand have been snobby on occasion, but well... They have to wear suspenders, and I like the comedy of that, so it evens out in my opinion. There are very few vegetarian options, and even less for vegans although they do have egg substitute (thank you!). Do not order egg white only, every time I have it's tasted like fish. And, that just... is fishy (awwww... Bad joke...). However, if you are actually good at making jokes the God awful Bear decor and artwork will give you plenty to laugh about during your meal. But one more thing... Yo.... Listen to me: Try the apple pie. You might poop your pants in shock from how good it is, but you'll still have apple pie that is unstoppably delicious despite your poop pants.
(3)Tealah M.
Let's just say huge portions. I got the "volcano" Stacked pancakes with all bacon and scrambled eggs. The pancakes are huge and fluffy and the bacon was the thick delicious kind. Such good flavor with everything. Blows any other breakfast place out of the water. Husband got the chicken fried steak (large) and has browns and bisquits with eggs. The hash browns looked like three whole potatoes were used (wow) he said the chicken was perfect and delish. We also had a glass of the orange juice, which you could taste was fresh squeezed. Order was like $30 to go. We called in order and had a 10 minute wait and seen lots sitting outside when with 25 min wait Time when we picked up our order. The entire order was correct with nice to go Tupperware like boxes. Gave butter and syrup as well. Will be going back for a breakfast that keeps you full all day!!!
(5)Heather H.
I can't even hate on this place. It's a cheesy Southern/American style restaurant, but unlike Cracker Barrel, it actually tastes like real food and not hot garbage. I got a boat load of fresh tasty sides of my choice for 7.99 off the vegetable plate and it was more than I could eat: an entire baked sweet potato, coleslaw, creamy mac and cheese, cinnamon apples and steamed broccoli and it was friggin' great. I will totally go back for more Sunday lunchin'.
(4)Cat G.
If I could put 0 stars that would be way more fitting. Super disappointed because of the reviews, my turkey tasted watered down or just plain soggy. My partner got the meatloaf dinner and it was so badly burnt that they tried to cover it by soaking his whole plate in gravy. We were looking at a couple desserts but by the time the 6th fly landed to eat my food, I lost my appetite. Very unsanitary, and then we were brought out bill without the server even asking if we wanted dessert. Tried to discuss this with the manager and all he offered was a dessert, that our waitress didn't even ask us if we wanted. Why pay over $35 just for two ruined meals that you can't even eat without flies swarming you. No satisfaction, never want to go back, let alone recommend to a friend. I'm sorry I didn't go out to a restaurant to continually swat at flies while I attempt to eat, could of gone camping for that. The food would of tasted better at least!
(1)Dan P.
Big food! I had the Jr. volcano and was stuffed from it. The food wasn't chart topping, but I enjoyed it. Free coffee while you wait was nice too. Staff wasn't super friendly and I stuck to the table a first from syrup. I'll go back when I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way when The Springs has so many champion breakfast places to go to. I may change my mind after a lunch or dinner trip, but 3 stars suits me for now.
(3)Doug A.
The food was delicious this visit as always but this time the service was poor. The hostess smarted off because we weren't moving fast enough to suit her to be seated. Then the waitress was less than welcoming but did act nicer towards the end. Maybe the idea of her tip improved her mood. We won't let these actions stop us from dining there as have had good experiences in the past.
(4)Julia P.
The portion sizes are decent, however the salads are lack luster. The cornbread muffins are delicious but the entrees lacked seasoning. I had the fried chicken but was not impressed by the lack of flavor. My husband had the chicken and waffles; he stated the waffles were a bit mushy. In the words of my sister, "it was nothing to write home about."
(3)James H.
You will not be disappointed with the portion size, food quality, or service here. I fine alone often, and sit at the counter here about once a month. The service is always great, and I love the food. Try the spicy breakfast sausage, biscuits and gravy, or chicken fried steak but bring your appetite.
(5)Katie H.
The breakfast here is your usual breakfast fare. Pancakes, omelettes, french toast, you get it. What sets it apart from village inn or dennys? The portions! They're so very generous which is great because when I want breakfast, I want the meal to last me all day. The service and food are timely but from my experiences (I have been here 3 times now) the wait staff are pretty short with you, unless maybe you are a regular. They're not rude by any means, but they don't engage. For me, going out to eat isn't just about the meal, its about the experience. Besides this, I've never had to wait long for a table which is great. If I didn't live up the street from here I wouldn't go out of my way to grab breakfast at this place but like I said - good food!
(4)ColoradoSprings F.
This is the best place to take your family to. I enjoyed the food and the staff was friendly. I had the fried chicken dinner with waffle. The chicken was a little small in size for me but the taste was very good. The chicken was not overcooked. It was tender and juicy. The waffle was golden brown. It was better than the waffle at The Waffle House. Take it from Colorado Springs Food Guy, Black Bear Diner has great atmosphere and great food. Colorado Springs Food Guy Website: ColoradoSpringsFoodGuy.c… . Facebook: Colorado Springs Food Guy Twitter: @COSFoodGuy Instagram: COLORADOSPRINGSFOODGUY
(4)David S.
Friendly atmosphere... Got a table right away. Portions are awesome. You get what you pay for! I will be back for sure!
(5)Debbie B.
My hubbie got waffle with eggs and bacon. I got the same combo but with french toast. We split a cinnamon roll. My favorite part of my meal was the eggs n bacon. And the bite I had of his waffle was really good. My french toast was OK and the cinnamon roll was OK. By OK I mean nothing special. I'd like to come back and try something different or get a plate like I did but with a waffle or pancakes instead of french toast.
(4)Marika F.
Don't come to this restaurant expecting Bernaise sauce and terrines. The draw is the portion sizes, all made for comfort and food coma induced hibernation. We waited 25 minutes for a table mid-morning on a Sunday. The place was packed and the staff were hustling in their black bear suspenders. We were asked for drink orders as soon we sat down by Georgia and I'm guessing this isn't the first time someone has wanted to call her a peach. She was great. We ordered the two biggest breakfasts on the menu: The Grizz and the Bigfoot Chicken Fried Steak. I wanted my boyfriend--a first timer who also has the stomach of a growing teenage boy--to get the full experience. I've never seen bigger biscuits. They filled the plate. They were tasty too: soft and flavorful. The rest of the food was as expected: cooked fine and served it's fast breaking purpose. We ordered coconut cream pie just to see what it would be like. It looked great but tasted like onions. It was either in a fridge with onions or the chef didn't fully wash his hands before pressing the crust into the pie pan. Pretty gross but we didn't bother putting in a complaint. Not a great finale to the meal but overall we say this is a decent place for a big breakfast fix.
(3)Russell T.
A lot of what you would expect for meals from diner type restaurant, but the portions are big! I love it, I love the food, I love the atmosphere, and the staff is wonderful! Definitely recommended for a hearty, delicious breakfast with the family.
(5)Keith L.
Yelp reviewers were telling the truth about portion sizes.. WOW! My chicken fried steak measured about 5" square with a huge portion of fries and bowl of green beans. Meal started with a large salad and finished up with coconut cream pie. The pie came in a tin pie shell and the serving was probably nearly double a standard slice of pie. Excellent sweet tea washed out all down. I'm awarding 3 stars because: * service was not very attentive * my order had to be sent back when it was presented because I had ordered the steak without gravy and the waitress apparently forgot to tell the kitchen * the waitress didn't offer dessert - I had to ask * prices are too high, despite the large portions - $27.07 for 1 person (with tip) is too much - the pie alone was $6
(3)Laurel W.
Omg. Humongous portions. The staff is wonderul. I was pregnant and began to eat here almost very weekend. There was this young lady (staff) who remembered us each time. Though her comments could be offensive it was good to know that she remembered what we drank and ate. I didn't mind her saying I looked like I would burst open. Lol. Always a long wait on Saturday mornings. But u can call ahead and leave ur name. Makes ur wait time shorter.. great food though!
(5)Myron P.
I like this place. The only thing I think could change is the time it takes to get your food here. It takes a while sometime. Other than that it's a great place to eat, esp if you have kiddos. Waiters are cool and authentic. I recommend this place.
(4)Chris S.
Best breakfast in the Springs! Homemade corned beef hash! Fresh squeezed orange juice and amazing sandwiches. Bonus is great desserts and big booths for 6-8 people. Always great service and large portions. You can't go wrong here.
(5)James H.
Reservation are taken for groups of 8 or more. Just good food and huge portions if you're in the mood for power eating.
(4)Andrew C.
The food was good but nothing special. My wife and myself both got omelets. The flavor was just not there. It did not look like they use quality ingredients. The biscuit was the size of my face and pretty good but nothing compared to what I am used to from the south. Service was good and the place was clean overall, but it was just nothing special. I will probably not be back.
(3)Thomas L.
Amazing! My wife and I were recommended by Front Range Honda a few weeks ago but didn't go - a mistake we won't make again! My daughter and I stopped in just before the huge Sunday crowd hit and sat at the counter. The portions are huge, the wait staff is great, and the food quality is 5 stars! My daughter had a scramble and I had the California Bacon Eggs Benedict. Perfectly cooked, with a great Hollandaise sauce. There's simply nothing to complain about at this place! Next time you're nearby - YOU MUST TRY iT!
(5)Shawn M.
Great place for dinner. Almost too friendly of staff, but I'd rather they be friendly than rude! Food is decent, but watch out for the calories. Thankfully, they have a menu outlining all of the nutrition facts for each of their meals. One of what you would think would be the healthiest meals for you, salmon, is one of the worst for you, with over 2000 calories!
(4)Mary S.
The chicken pot pie was so nasty! It was all mushroom and peas and cold. The mushrooms made the whole thing taste like mushrooms. The owner needs to taste it and fix it! And I agree with another review that the food is cafeteria tasting.
(2)Rachel P.
I wouldn't scream over the top for this restaurant but it was good filling food. Mashed potatoes were a little cold and food tasted cafeteria like.
(3)Al T.
Awesome service and really really good corned beef hash!! Huge portions and good price! My server Eric was polite and quick to take my order. Would recommend this place to everyone and also the sweet cream pancakes are to die for!!
(5)Brinetta H.
The food here is really good. I went here for a birthday surprise breakfast with a friend. Sorry I can only vouch for breakfast food. So their pancakes are soooo good and they have egg whites on the menu which I really like : ) The reason for the knocked off star is the girl at the front desk was kind of rude when I asked if I could get our table when I already made a reservation. She made me wait until every single person was present before we could sit down and I mean every single person (one was running late) -_- seriously? The server at our table was really nice though and polite. He tended to our every need!
(4)Brandon F.
American diner with a Colorado twist. Good food. Great prices. Server was perfect. He was very attentive. I had bacon and eggs and it was pretty good. The service was almost up to par with chick-fil-a.
(5)Katie H.
Fantastic breakfast every time! We visit here often, we have also brought friends and family. I usually order the Volcano breakfast, with the granola pancakes. It's huge, but I take home part of it, since it reheats well. They have the coolest orange juice machine that makes an amazing glass of juice, order the large you'll be glad you did. The commercials don't really show how terrific this place is,but I highly recommend it. I forgot to mention the service is always welcoming and food is delivered quickly.
(5)Jascia R.
Ordered the Bears Choice: 2 eggs, 2 giant pancakes, and 2 slices bacon. So delicious! Could only eat one pancake. Service was fast and friendly. The decor was country.
(5)