4. Restaurants

Black Bear Bistro & Cellar

32 Main St, Warrenton, VA, 20186
  • (540) 428-1005
  • Store is closed

Black Bear Bistro & Cellar Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Visit below restaurant in Warrenton for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 7323 Comfort Inn Dr )
Applebee’s ( 105 West Lee Highway )

Visit below restaurant in Warrenton for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 7323 Comfort Inn Dr )
Applebee’s ( 105 West Lee Highway )

  • Crystal C.

    This is one of our go to's for Tuesday because their "wing night" is awesome if you like great, spicy & flavorful wings. No boneless bites or celery sticks here but you get the best wing eating experience which includes choosing from 5-7 homemade sauces that change weekly and in house ranch/blue cheese! They have VA beer on tap (5 choices with a rotation- lately the rotation has been OBH which I LOVE!!). You can also get the best brick oven pizza around, at least from here to DC ;). If you haven't tried it, you should. If you've tried it, but not on wing night- go back and support the local effort of keeping the community deliciously satisfying. The only reason I gave it a four star is because there are tiny adjustments needed for perfection...but they are almost perfect and the things are not worth a fuss because they might be a personal preference. Have a Happy Wing night!

    (4)

  • Casey G.

    Great food, beautiful presentation, and excellent atmosphere/decorations. Also has an awesome selection on the menu (even more when coupled with The Brick) - as a vegetarian, I LOVE the number of non-meaty options on the menu. My vegan sloppy joe and goat cheese and cauliflower soup were both out of this world tonight, as have been all the meals I've had here!!

    (5)

  • Stephanie Z.

    The gluten free pizza is amazing! The crust is the best we've had in a long time. Love the basement atmosphere too.

    (5)

  • Ah F.

    Small portions , food does not taste good. Long waiting after you place order. Not impressive

    (2)

  • Kimi M.

    Waaaay too overpriced, very lazy staff and the food just wasn't that good... We love the brick at black bear downstairs, but we'll never eat at the bistro again...

    (2)

  • Kelsey G.

    No, no, no! The mac and cheese with bacon appetizer special was good and the pork quesadilla app was satisfying, but everything else was not. Soggy waffles, burnt pizza, bitter salad, and burger not cooked to order. All edible and good in theory, just unfulfilling execution. Great local brew on tap. Pleasing patio and my dog was welcomed. Especially so by the intoxicated gentleman sprawling across the back lot trying to get my dog to like him (she did not!). Nice server. Good duo playing on a Saturday afternoon. Just apps and drinks next time!

    (3)

  • Kelly Ann R.

    Brunch is amazing and fresh. Great blend flavors, Chef Todd rocks the spice rack! Outside seating is perfect way to start the day. Fresh ingredients in burrito with perfectly ripe fruit. Variety on brunch menu allows you to bring the whole family. Don't want brunch? They have an awesome new lunch menu...try the chili dogs!

    (5)

  • Robert M.

    Ordered carne asada. Just a massive baked potato with a few strips of steak. I had the chile relleno. My Latina wife and I thought it was pretty poor an over priced for the asada. Waitress was not friendly either nor offered dessert.

    (2)

  • Ellen K.

    Had to go to Warrenton for business and I decided to try this place for a QUICK bite to eat. The hostess asked me if I wanted to sit upstairs (which was crowded and cold) or sit down stairs with the two fire places. Two fireplaces sounded nice on a 20 degree day so I agreed to the basement. The two fireplaces are gas and the ventilation seemed poor in the basement rooms. The rooms were very hot and the air felt thin. After 15 min I had a headache and felt sick. I moved back upstairs - where it was cold because the door kept opening. I ordered Chicken Salad Sandwich. It was "OK" - edible - but the Fries were really good. I was planning on sharing this sandwich with my 2 year old son but soon realized he would not like it. I asked the waiter for a "very small Peanut Butter Sandwich". This should take 30 seconds to make. We had to wait like 15 minutes and then he comes out with this HUGE PBJ sandwich. My son does not like Jelly and the sandwich was so over loaded with PB and J that it was just ooozing everywhere and then they charged me 5 bucks for it. $5 for a pbj on bread. REALLY....My son wouldnt even eat it. This quick lunch ended up with me being here for 2 hours. Just took wayyyyy to long to get basic items ordered. I wont be back. 2 stars for the fries.

    (2)

  • Dawn R.

    I came here for a Rehearsal Dinner for a friend of mine that got married over Memorial Day Weekend. It was a Friday night at 5pm & they had us in a nice little private room downstairs. Our menu option featured beer & wine along with either the filet, chicken, or salmon. I chose a white wine with the filet. The service was decent, but I feel bad judging it due to the size of our party - I believe there were about 20 of us. One of the servers was much more attentive than the other. I ordered the filet medium and it came with blue cheese mashed potatoes & green beans. I wasn't sure about the potatoes, because I'm not a big blue cheese fan, but as I said it was a planned menu so I didn't have a choice. When it all came out, my steak was cooked perfectly & the mashed potatoes were actually awesome! The green beans were good, nothing to write home about. The only downside for me about the filet was the lack of seasoning. Everyone likes their steak a different way, but I prefer mine with seasoning. I ended up sprinkling it with salt & pepper & it was really good! I don't know how the pricing was for this, because it was paid for by the Groom's parents, but I would definitely consider using this venue for a large party as well as coming back here for lunch or dinner one day.

    (4)

  • Lori B.

    Tried this place three times. Bad service all three times...in fact, we had the worst service EVER the last time. Had to wait forever to order, then wait forever for food that may or may not show up, then once we all finally got something to eat, we had to go to the cashier ourselves to sort out the bill because that was wrong, too! The food wasn't good enough for us to tolerate the rest. Never again!

    (1)

  • Christina S.

    YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!! Here from out of town for a wedding and while the people I was with were good to jump straight to lunch, I was craving for some Saturday morning brunch. Chef Todd just happened to overhear my hangry whines for some eggs and said he'd be happy to accommodate me and made me some delicious eggs bacon and hash browns. As a group we also ordered a pizza, their special of the day perogis, and a Cuban sandwich. All were absolutely delicious!!!! Virginia behind the bar was so sweet and knowledgable as was all the rest of the staff we encountered. Not sure if I'll ever be back in this area but should I know of anyone heading this way, I'll be sure to tell them to stop into black bear. It's a must!

    (5)

  • Valerie N.

    I chose the Black Bear Bistro because it is the only place in Warrenton that clearly marks vegan items on their menu. Unfortunately, the descriptions of their vegan items are not accurate. For instance, we ordered two veggie burgers to go. The menu describes the vegan burger as "House made vegetable patty flat top grilled served with lettuce, tomato and veganaise." Much to our surprise, though, there were no toppings on the burgers or on the side. Nothing. Just dry vegetable patties on hamburger buns. For $9 apiece. And because we got the food to go, there was no way we could have had the situation fixed without driving an additional 30 minutes, and then having cold burgers to eat. We would have been better off going to the grocery store, buying some Boca Burgers & buns and making our meal for ourselves. At least now I know. I'm glad that Black Bear offers vegan options, but I hope they improve on the execution of them.

    (2)

  • Lisa W.

    Very disappointed. We are new to Warrenton and looking for a great go to restaurant. This place is not it. I was excited to see po boys on the menu in the window only to find out that was their lunch menu. The hostess sat us at the front table, never asked if we had been there before to tell us about the different areas of the place, just in a Huey to seat us and leave for the evening. I ordered the crab cakes and asked for a veggie like asparagus or spinach instead of the rice. Big mistake. The two crab cakes came over a long stem of broccoli that was over salty and a side of spinach that fit on my fork. Yup. One fork of spinach. Too bad our waiter was not my advocate to say hey come on give her more spinach. But he was not so great, very in experienced. And the meal was definitely not worth $21.00. Will I try the place again. Yes perhaps for lunch. Everyone deserves a second chance....

    (1)

  • K B.

    Randomly stopped by after skydiving. So glad we did. AWESOME Reuben!! Most everything is made in house or sourced locally. A few vegan options as well.

    (5)

  • Jon L.

    Stopped in for lunch on a beautiful fall Wednesday. Parked on the street across from the restaurant. Old Town Warrenton has a lot of character and charm. It's small town America and it's best. I sat at the bar cause I wanted a quick bite and needed to get on the road. Renee was quick with a smile and a menu. Sweet tea and the cod fish tacos sounded good to me. Shortly she returns announcing they were out of cod but had some fresh shrimp so I went with it. My food came out quick and with a nice presentation. There were three large shrimp on each taco but the downside was they were corn and not flour tortillas. They were flavored with chipolte and garnished with light lettuce and tomatos...very tasty. Came with a side of fries or cole slaw...the cole slaw was quite good. The bar seats maybe nine, there are a couple of small flat screens. The bar seemed to be well stocked and I asked about the draught beers. Turns out they are all from an Ashburn based bewery started by a couple of former Dominion Brewing employees called Lost Rhino. Too bad it was a work day or I would have surely had a swill. I will def be back for more.

    (4)

  • David B.

    I'm done with Black Bear Bistro. Lunch today was my 5th try. You would have thought it was a slammed Friday night based on the attitude of the server and service in general. 1:00 on weds btw. Had to track him down to get our coffee and he still forgot it. Forgot the dressing for a salad and we had to track him down because he never came back. Had to track him down for ketchup. When our food came out the fries were luke warm and my "hot" sandwich was barely warm. He acted like we were an inconvenience from the second he greeted us. The previous times we were there it was either bad service, extremely long waits for our food, cold food, or they were out of half the menu. The restaurant looks nice, the menu looks good but I've yet to be satisfied or impressed.

    (1)

  • Michael M.

    Great as usual. Everything was prepared the way I like and tasted great. Service was polite and friendly.

    (4)

  • Zacnite F.

    Great place for a burger and a beer. Their chilled cucumber soup is also delicious. It's a very local place so the service can be slow, but it is worth the wait. Best place to grab a beer and a good bite in Warrenton.

    (4)

  • Meg F.

    We entered this quaint establishment with high hopes. We waited forty five minutes for a drink menu and another hour for our food (we stayed for comedic purposes). The staff claimed they couldn't help us when asked. The food was sub par and something I could create drunk off my butt on a Saturday night with rotting supplies. Do not go here. You are warned.

    (1)

  • Raed H.

    Food is amazing. Great atmosphere. Lobster Mac and cheese was amazing!! Very reasonable prices. We went here for a day date and there was also patio seating. All staff was very warm and welcoming. Everything from lobster Mac appetizer to chocolate mousse dessert was great. Will absolutely return and highly recommend a visit.

    (5)

  • Stephanie F.

    My husband and I went there last night for the first time, but were very disappointed. Let me preface this by saying we are not by any means restaurant "snobs" nor are we hard to please - as long as the food is good most all else is overlooked. We were seated right away on the rear outdoor patio, at our request. It was a great atmosphere, with the only exception being there were a good amount of flies constantly flying around and landing on us and our table and plates. The restaurant obviously cannot control flies, and that is not why I gave it a low rating - I am just adding that as an FYI. We ordered the Baked Brie as an appetizer which was pretty good, and the bread that came with it was very good. I ordered the "Chef's Shrimp" which was six fried shrimp, coleslaw and french fries. My husband ordered the Rib-Eye steak with green beans and mashed potatoes. I was not impressed at all with my meal: the shrimp were quite rubbery, the "fried" coating did not taste fried at all (it was soft), the coleslaw was very bland, and the french fries were mediocre. There was not one thing on my plate that was redeeming. My husband's steak looked like something you would get at a "Shoney's" restaurant, and tasted about the same! It was very gristly. The green beans and mashed potatoes were also mediocre - nothing special at all. When we finished and asked for our check it took upwards of ten minutes which was kind of frustrating. When we finally got it, I was very surprised to see the amount; for the the baked brie, Chef's Shrimp, Rib-Eye steak, and iced tea and a fountain drink, the bill was $61 and some change! Wow.... next time I'll either hit a cheap diner and pay less for the same quality food, or go across the street to one of our favorite spots Iron Bridge, and actually get some quality food (and service) for the money. Black Bear drew us in because it has that old-town Warrenton "bistro" charm, but it severely disappointed! I will not be returning!

    (1)

  • steve g.

    This place is okay. I ordered the little burger. It was pretty good. Fries were okay, kind of cold by the time I got them. Our server was working like mad trying to get to all her tables. They probably could have used an additional server during the busy times.

    (4)

  • Sisi C.

    SLOOOOOOOOOOW service and overpriced average tasting food. If you just want to sit a while and eat with a view of main street it is ok. Certainly nothing special. The Brick Pizzeria downstairs however is a different story. For GOOD eats and a good time opt to eat in their pizzeria downstairs.

    (2)

  • Deb C.

    You have to understand..... The service at the Black Bear always stinks. Even when they're trying, they're awful. Oddly, I always LIKE my server. The restaurant must hire based on personality. If you have an hour to kill waiting for your meal, this is an entertaining place to eat, in a beautiful downtown venue, with truly good food. You just have to have 2 hours or more, because while you are eating at the Black Bear, they will eat up your day.

    (2)

  • Tisha B.

    After reading the YELP reviews we had high hopes. The menu was a huge disappointment. Just cafe food, nothing special, nothing I'd call "bistro." We couldn't find anything we'd even want to order, but as we were already seated we ordered the baked brie and a house glass of wine (no wine last is available by the glass). The brie was edible, but a VERY small portion. It sat on top of some salad greens so some of the melted brie was lost in the greens. Pointless. There was a nice sweet onion jam on top and more than enough toasted pita triangles. The wine was poor quality, served in what could laughingly be called a wine glass. Service was friendly. We had our cheese and glass of house wine and left. I could not recommend it based on what we ate and what we saw on other tables. The food rather reminded me of Ruby Tuesday. Not special.

    (2)

  • Dina C.

    Spectacular in every way. You were our last stop as we packed up the car and headed back to Jersey and our teaching jobs. Quiche was easily the best I've ever had. Truthfully the Caesar could use some work (just get some buttermilk and fresh anchovies from a fish monger)but my first job out of college was as a Garde Manger, so maybe my salad expectations are somewhat high. Staff was sweet and adorable and we will return whenever we are in horse country.

    (5)

  • Henry S.

    Why oh why did you put the new pizza place in the basement! The Patio! The Patio! Pizza + Beer = Outside, not basement. I was really holding out and crossing my fingers that the new outside dining experience would be awesome and would be the casual dining spot Warrenton so desperately needed. No.such.Luck. We went and had dinner on the patio with the hopes that the atmosphere would translate despite the lack of pizza. It had the feel of eating of an elementary school cafeteria by yourself. All you could hear was the exhaust fan and the other couples conversations who were trying to keep their voices down awkwardly like we were. Free tip for the Owners. Move or at least start serving pizzas upstairs and put some speakers upstairs to mask the stale environment. Do this, and ye shall receive 5 stars and my repeat business!!!

    (2)

  • Julie N.

    Food is GREAT service is a huge issue.

    (2)

  • Andrew S.

    Black Bear Bistro can best be described as a small town restaurant with huge ambition. My experience with this restaurant was nothing short of stellar and I would have absolutely no problem recommending them over any of the other establishments in the area. Good service, good beer, and good food. I can think of no better combination.

    (5)

  • Lauren S.

    This restaurant is really two, a pizza place in the basement and an American cuisine restaurant on the first floor (with seating in part of the basement). I didn't think the food was overpriced. I had a nice crab cake. No complaints. My mother-in-law had chicken salad (a special that day) she was very happy. My 4-year old daughter and 11 year old son had the baby bear burger with fries. Both were very happy. The fries are well done. I would go back there again, I don't think it deserves a one-star review. The service was nice and friendly.

    (3)

  • Kelsey B.

    This is the restaurant where I learned to like blue cheese dressing. I always hated it until my sister made me try theirs. I still don't like blue cheese much, but this I loved. (Awhile back, I read about how blue cheese contains the same fungus found in Athletes foot, and am still trying to get past that fact, so this was REALLY good--good enough for me to forget about the athletes foot.) They weren't lying when they said it was house made. Wings and burgers were delicious. Service was good. We had an early dinner and sat at the bar. Beers on tap were great and the bartender was friendly without crossing the fine line between friendly/annoying. My favorite place in Warrenton!

    (4)

  • Julia D.

    I normally have such a great dinner here, but last night was so disappointing! We each ordered drinks (which took 21 minutes to get to us) both of which were wrong, the Garlic Knots we ordered were burnt, but it took so long for them to get there we didn't say anything, and then our dinner came (I ordered the eggplant parmesean for a whopping 16 dollars) which was under cooked, was MISSING the sauce, and was three pieces of basic eggplant on very little spaghetti. I spent quite a bit of money for a horrible dining experience. Won't be making this mistake again!

    (1)

  • MaJ C.

    If, for some reason, you are passing by the town of warrenton, And you are thinking... Man, I sure could use a beer right now... Then stop the thoughts, and pull over for some free parking (street) and a nice selection of Virginia beers on draught. I was glad this place was here. That said, I sat at the bar, my service was fantastic. My freshly shucked oyster Po'boy was right on the money. yuuuup!

    (4)

  • J R.

    Decided to spend some time in Old Town Warrenton this past weekend with a few friends, and I was responsible for picking where we were going to eat for lunch. The pressure! I picked Black Bear Bistro solely on the fact they try to use mostly local ingredients for their food. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess, who promptly seated us downstairs. The place was extremely clean, the setup and decoration interesting, in a good way. Our waiter was very friendly, attentive, and more than willing to provide suggestions/recommendations on the beer selection as well as entrees. The food arrived quick, was fresh and delicious. (The pulled pork hoagie w/the peach habanero sauce was freakin fantastic!) My friends were happy with their meals as well ... which is good for me, as otherwise I'd never hear the end of it. ;) I look forward to trying out the rest of their menu and look forward to what they offer up in the fall. (Their menu changes with the seasons, which is awesome!) You really need to give this place a shot! The Black Bear Bistro ROCKS!

    (5)

  • Joey D.

    We stopped into Warrenton for lunch with some friends before heading out to a wine tasting. I had been here once before a few years ago with a friend and enjoyed the atmosphere and remember the food being good. We have since switched to a mostly vegetarian diet, and noticed on the website they had some good selections. We were seated in the basement, which was nice and cool and also felt a tad less causal that upstairs, which was fine with us. They appear to have outdoor seating int he back as well. There is a bar and ample seating upstairs as well. I got the fancy grill cheese and a cup of lental soup - both were excellent. Everyone else enjoyed their meals as well. Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. We will come back here again for another taste at some point.

    (4)

  • Tina K.

    Best shrimp po'boy since New Orleans. I go all the time for the sandwich. However, the service here SUCKS! I have been three times and only once has the service been just adequate. Both the other times they have forgotten my order, the server switched tables and then never came back, my soup always comes with my dinner even thought I tell them every time I want it first. So, if you go, the food is great, just expect to be ignored and treated like they dont need you to fund their business.

    (2)

  • Bonnie C.

    Black Bear Bistro - "Sweeney's Cellar" On 12/11, after picking up a lovely lush 8-1/2' Xmas tree from the Boy Scout Xmas tree lot in Warrenton, we had dinner for the first time at Black Bear Bistro's "Sweeney's Cellar", which is located downstairs. While the upstairs portion we usually enjoy is more casual/pub-like, downstairs is a bit more upscale, with linens & candles on the tables, a realistic gas fireplace, & a tiled L-shaped bar. There are two rooms, one alongside the bar that's very well-lit & somewhat utilitarian in flavor; & the back room we were seated in, which has the fireplace &, in nice weather, apparently opens up onto a dining patio. In addition to the regular menu, there are also a few more fancier dishes available presented to each diner on a chalkboard. First off, the fireplace room is unbelievably dark. I'm all for dining ambience, but unless you bring a miner's helmet, be prepared to get up & take the menu over to one of the wall sconces as we had to. And neither one of us has sight issues. We skipped appetizers & both enjoyed selections from the chalkboard. Husband ordered the "Mahi Mahi in Parchment" ($15.95), which he said was "okay". The parchment enclosing the fish was very large & unwieldy. When he couldn't easily cut through it, he ended up having to unwrap it, which was quite a sight. Sort of typical steamed fish - nothing really special, but decent. On the other hand, my "Thai Spiced Beef Filet Tips" ($17.95) were, in a word - FABULOUS! Unbelievably tender, cooked perfectly to my "medium-rare" spec, & served over absolutely PERFECTLY cooked rice - something that so many restaurants never seem to get right. The spicing was uber-hot - not enough to blow the top of my head off, but enough to raise a sweat - exactly how I like it. And the portion size was spot-on. One of the very few times I've left a restaurant perfectly satiated & without a "doggie bag". With one iced tea, our bill after tax but before tip came to just $38.86 - a real bargain for a very satisfactory upscale meal. As usual, we'll be back to dine both upstairs & now downstairs.

    (4)

  • JJ L.

    Dinner on way home at Black Bear Bistro & Cellar 32 Main Street Warrenton, VA, 20186 USA blackbearbistro.com We sat down stairs, it was a rare pleasure to find a place quiet enough to carry on a conversation with my parents (hearing aids SUCK in most restaurants!) The waitress wasn't effective at describing the different menu offerings. We asked about soup and explained we didn't want anything spicy, discussed ceviche but decided against it because it probably was spicy. The specials were both spicy, and we said that out loud. For appetizers we had Chilled Cucumber Dill soup that was excellent, although Dad didn't like it. Wasn't what he thought a soup should be, no meat... and P... something, a fresh tomato, sweet pepper, barely stir-fried in olive oil and Italian spices with hearty bread cubes sprinkled with fresh shredded Romano cheese, all bite sized was very good. The waitress didn't describe the "Balsamic Vinegar Reduction" that was drizzled on top, the only drawback. (This in not currently on the menus posted on their web site) We ordered the Country fried chicken on linguini with mushroom sauce. It sounded delicious. The chicken was perfectly fried, light, moist, crispy. Although my Dad said he didn't consider it country fried because it was deep fried, vs pan fried, much less greasy. The linguini was cooked to perfection. The only drawback was the dish was uneatable because it had red HOT peppers in it. Nothing on Menu indicated it had hot spices & the waitress didn't have any idea it what was in it. AND THE waitress KNEW we didn't want anything spicy. Turn off the Bobby Flay and show some originally! We tipped a full 20% because I blame the restaurant management for failing to train her.

    (1)

  • Sarah G.

    Overpriced menu. The salads are priced between $9-$11 and you would assume they are entree sized. You would be mistaken because they are side salad sized! They are miniature! The steak and burgers are very overcooked! I don't recommend this place for dinner.

    (1)

  • Lisa M.

    I have been here many times now and have dragged various guests here, as well, sometimes ordering items (like birthday "dessert pizza") from "The Brick," which is also located in the basement area. I have never been disappointed in anything. The downstairs dining room food, atmosphere, and service are always great. I love, love, love the craft beers here! The menu is always changing and everything has been consistently delicious, no matter what the season or occasion-- even the vegetarian dishes are unique, flavorful, and amazing, and that's coming from someone who usually eats meat. This is a perfect spot for anything from a family dinner to a date night to a special celebration. I started coming to this restaurant because they order meats (chicken, pork, ribs, etc.) from Whiffletree Farm, where I buy some of my meats and food products from because I know they have the best quality around. Also, my children love the pizza and the papa, mama, and baby bear burger selections too. I will continue to go here as my first choice dinner spot in Old Town Warrenton. Nothing but love for this place!

    (5)

  • Martha W.

    After a long flight into Dulles, we decided to overnight in Warrenton instead of driving for 5 more hours. We felt a little trepidation going to the Black Bear Bistro after reading the mixed reviews, but need not have worried. The restaurant is located in charming downtown Warrenton: lots of old brick buildings. We were greeted & seated promptly, our waiter was attentive, friendly and knowledgable about the vegetarian offerings. (We had quite a discussion about whether someone who eats seafood and fish is veggie-I say NO.). Food was served promptly, too. We had the excellent sloppy joe, nicely spicy, and very tasty lentil soup. He also offered to omit lobster from the lobster mac & cheese - it was so good I practically inhaled it. The side salad was just that, but was very fresh; the curry dressing I selected was unusual,but didn't keep me from eating every bite. Our experience was very good, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back for another meal or to recommend this place to a friend. I almost forgot to mention the bear themed interior - it was fun.

    (4)

  • Rocio D.

    The PO boy was delicious! Caution their half is the size of a footling. Wings best I've had and my husband has the chuck steak and it was very good. Waiter Louise was excellent so friendly !

    (5)

  • Nora S.

    We went here in July for my boyfriends birthday, mostly because we had never been and I had a coupon from specialicious. The food was fantastic! My "inlaws" and I enjoyed the lobster mac and cheese to the point where I thought one of us might lick the plate. We also ordered the scallops and they were HUGE, I have never seen scallops that big before they were so delicious. Over all the meal was fantastic and the enviorment was wonderful.

    (5)

  • RJ S.

    Great local VA beer selection, though it took a while for them to show up on the back porch (which is a supremely nice spot to dine/relax). Chicken fried steaks had super crispy breading and nice, tender chicken on the inside. The pasta it was served with very rich and went well with the chicken. My friends burger came with quality toppings, though it was way overcooked. After all the other reviews, I feel like I definitely have to come back for more VA craft brews and a scallop po'boy (or maybe shrimp since my server said that was the best po'boy, but when has shrimp ever been better than scallops?)

    (4)

  • spencer b.

    Fun, casual restaurant. Fair prices, as well.

    (5)

  • Garrett P.

    Good local and regional beer selection and have always been very happy with dinner here. Very creative menu. A Warrenton favorite.

    (4)

  • Georgio B.

    When we first got seated we overheard the waited advising the table next to us of all the items on the menu there were not available. It was quite a few items too. Whenever I hear this I know that this is a restaurant on it's way out of business. We ordered some sandwiches that were un-noteworthy. Ho hum seems to fit. Would not return.

    (2)

  • Sherrie H.

    Fresh, local and premium ingredients artfully prepared. Very clean, friendly and overall a wonderful dining experience. Bear accents are fun and very cute. I've eaten there dozens of times and been in every area - all great. Even your dog is welcome on the patio and they always have fresh water for them. Can't say enough good things. I suspect any poor review might be a "plant" from a competitor because really, what's not to like??????? Call for reservations, though, because they are popular and getting more so every day.

    (5)

  • Mark C.

    Not impressed in the least, not with the food and certainly not with the service. Went on a saturday night, waited about 30 mins for a table which was to be expected. Then we were seated in the basement in a corner, our party of 4 was given 2 menus after about a 7 minute wait. Then after about a 12-13 minute wait of noone taking our drink order, i got up and approached 2 servers that were talking at the bar rolling silverware. I asked if we could get a server and one dude got up and reluctantly followed me back to our table like i had ruined his night. Eventually we got our drinks and 2 extra menus. I ordered a burger, which for some odd reason was 3 4 oz patties stacked on top of each other. I ordered it medium, came out well. They charge $1.00 for cheese, not extra cheese, just cheese. $0.75 for jalapenos, onions or mushrooms. The burger sucked, I cant understand how its a better idea to stack those 3 tiny 4 oz patties as opposed to 2 6 oz patties. The burger was impossible to eat cause it was too tall. Overall, i was honestly a little floored that the service was that bad. Literally the worst service i have ever received. At no time did the server apologize cause he was busy or anything. The atmosphere is nice, quaint spot but honestly the food was no good and i cant recommend this place in the least

    (1)

  • D C.

    The food was ok, but my credit card was overcharged. Has that happened to anyone else at this restaurant?

    (3)

  • Clif S.

    I was here yesterday with a large party for lunch. It was my first time here although I live right in town. The service was pathetic. I ordered a Coke and noted to the waiter that it tasted like a Diet Coke. He then said that someone had put the Diet Coke syrup into the Coke dispenser and that they were out of Coke. Fine, but then why not tell me that when I ordered it? Then five minutes later the same thing happened to one of my friends at the other end of the table. Then it took me about ten minutes to get a ginger ale. The waiter never mentioned any specials, and when asked about them said they were all out of the specials. This was at noon. How can you be out of the special when the lunch service has just started? It took us over an hour to get our food. The hamburger was good when it finally arrived but why stack three burgers on top of each other? Just make one big burger. The waiter never apologized for anything and never smiled. On the whole I'd rather be across the street at Iron Bridge where both the service and food are excellent.

    (2)

  • Mike W.

    Third time here with family. Local food from local producers. Burgers are really good as are the PoBoys and basically everything else. Will become a regular. We need places like this to do well in Warrenton.

    (5)

  • Jay H.

    Great place to get a burger and beer on a hot day.

    (4)

  • Preston W.

    Great "Firecracker" sandwich! My wife really likes the Olive Tapenade Bruschetta. Nice little place with very nice staff.

    (4)

  • Jim K.

    Great food from Virginia! Portion size is reasonable and so is the price. Wait staff is very friendly. We can take our two small kids or have a nice .time with just the parents. One of my favorite places to go in Warrenton

    (5)

  • Sunny A.

    I've eaten at Black Bear twice and was disappointed each time. The menu is small and uninteresting. The last time, the item I ordered was out of stock and I had to chose something else. The sandwich I did eat looked as if it had been dropped and then slopped on the plate with the bread broken up and torn. The paninni bread (seems to be wheat) was very bland and tasteless. I honestly don't know how this restaurant has stayed open as long as it had. The previous tenants of this space, the Crescendo Bistro, was one of the best menus and food preparation I've ever had. I cannot understand why they went under and Black Bear has succeeded it it's place. The wait staff is nice, though. It took a while for the food to arrive, but it wasn't too bad of a wait.

    (2)

  • Martin S.

    Had an hour to kill in Warrenton and went in because they had some vegan offerings on an outside menu. Ended up with vegan Shepherd's Pie. Very tasty casserole. Concur with other comments on relatively small portions and inattentive service, even though I was at the bar within 10 feet of wait staff most of the time. I finally asked when my stuff would be coming and was told "working on it now--we have a lot of customers on the patio and downstairs.". Not my problem, was my thought, and if there would be a long wait how about telling me that up front. Still, good lunch and several interesting looking vegan choices.

    (3)

  • Henry S.

    Been there twice now, once solo for lunch to scout the place out, and once with the wife and (3) kids. Both times I've had great, friendly, service and they've gone out of their way to keep us/me happy. The only have Virginia beers on tap, and they few I tried were good. (EDIT: They do have a selection of bottled beers - corona, coors, miller lite, etc.) For my lunch visit, had the soup (red bean and bacon) and the oyster/wings combo appetizer, and it was very good. I really like the diverse menu - not your typical ruby-apple-beni-fridays corporate stuff, but food that you can tell is actually made on the premises. As another review mentioned, prices are reasonable, and the portions are generous. For our dinner visit, kids had the spaghetti and meatballs ($5 per kids meal), and their plates would have filled me up. The wife and I kept their leftovers for lunch the next day. The meatballs were real handmade ones, not the processed stuff you get at most places, which was a pleasant surprise, even if they kids didn't appreciate it. My wife liked her soup and salad, and I liked my steak sub - I mentioned the same thing to my wife as another reviewer - actual real steak, not steak-um stuff, and locally produced cheese. Very very good steak sub, and the bun was nicely toasted.

    (4)

  • Amber K.

    We tried out the new(ish) Black Bear Bistro for the first time last night. We weren't fans of the restaurant that it replaced in that space (Crescendo) so we weren't sure what to expect. We were definitely pleasantly surprised. We're big on eating local foods and this is a local foodies dream! Most of the menu items seemed to contain at least one local ingredient and some were almost entirely local. Entrees were reasonably priced ($12-18) and they had a very respectable sandwich menu for even cheaper ($7-9). We had a local beer and a cranberry juice to drink, shared the local goat cheese bake as an appetizer, a hummus wrap, the prime rib special and a french bread pizza (for our son off the "cub's menu") all for $45. Service was fairly friendly, if a little slow. We weren't in a hurry, so this was no problem. The set-up of the restaurant is nice. There's the pub-like dining room at street level that you walk into. Through a set of doors and down some stairs is the Sweeny's Cellar Martini Bar as well as two additional dining rooms. They put us in one of the downstairs dining rooms which was perfect as we had a 10-month old dining with us and the downstairs rooms were all but deserted. Additionally, they have a "dog-friendly" patio out back. I did notice people smoking on the patio, which always bothers me because I love to sit outside, but prefer not to have to do it with people smoking next to my baby It's a pet peeve I guess, but I prefer restaurants to not allow smoking on the patio. Overall a nice place that we definitely intend to return to!

    (4)

  • S Z.

    Last night we celebrated my husband's birthday with 7 of our family and friends. We chose this restaurant based on the past reviews of the food and the wonderful outdoor patio. It was a really nice evening and we really wanted to sit outside to enjoy the weather as we've not been able to do that over the past several weeks due to the heat. The outdoor patio was wonderful and they had a table that was perfect for us to easily enjoy our family and friends. However, that was immediately interrupted by our waiter. He gave us our dinner menus and asked us all what we would like to drink. We took the opportunity to let him know that we were celebrating my husband's birthday and we then asked for a wine/drink menu, we were told that they didn't have one so we were forced to ask for a type of wine rather than by a particular wine which lead to us not ordering a bottle for the table as we had no idea what wine we would be receiving. We then ordered our food beginning w/ appetizers and the food was good and arrived quickly. We had to call out to the waiter to get refills of water and drinks even though there were only a few people on the patio and it was not busy inside the restaurant. Upon finishing our meal, the waiter appeared to be in a hurry and asked us if we would like anything else and we asked if we could see the dessert menu since it was my husband's birthday. We were told that they didn't have dessert menus and that they had 3 desserts consisting of a chocolate torte, key lime pie and carrot cake. We each ordered dessert which was promptly delivered. A few minutes later, we were handed the bill without asking if we would like anything else or if everything had been okay. Again, since we were there for a celebration of a special "numbered" birthday, I had made the decision to pay for the group meal and to pay with cash. I placed enough cash in the payment folder to cover the meal but only had $20 dollar bills so there was an add'l $11 in the folder. An 18% tip had been added to the bill which was more than I would have paid this particular waiter for his service but didn't complain. The waiter came and took the money and said that he would return shortly with the change and I said, ok thank you. We continued with our lively discussions with our friends and family and waited approximately 15-20 minutes and I asked everyone at the table if I had somehow missed the waiter's return. Everyone agreed that the waiter had not returned and each stated that they had been sitting there a bit baffled because they had heard the waiter state that he would return and that he had not returned to the patio at all. One of our friends stated that she would go into the restaurant to ask for the waiter to return with our cash since she had had some waitressing experience very early in her working career and she was also upset by the poor service we had received. She returned a few minutes later stating that the waiter was nowhere to be found and that she had spoken to the manager to explain our situation. The manager stated that the waiter had probably assumed that the add'l $11 was over and above the 18% tip and had kept the change. He then asked our friend to make an inquiry to us as to how we would like to handle the situation. Upon hearing this, I was extremely upset that this waiter who had not provided anything close to good service had taken the add'l money without us stating that he should keep the change or to even return the change to us to allow us to make a decision of what to do with the extra money. I then told my friend that based on these reasons, I would like to extra money back. She had to then go back into the restaurant to seek out the manager once more and he returned with her this time with our change. He was obviously embarrassed by the situation and apologized stating that the waiter had probably assumed that the extra money was for him and that he had left for the evening. I explained that I had never been faced with a situation like this before as any waiter or waitress that I had ever encountered had always returned the extra cash to the table unless I had explicitly stated to please keep the change as their tip. At this point, the manager didn't know what else to say so he gave us our change and again apologized and went back into the restaurant. Based on the poor service and what could be considered "theft", none of our party will ever return to this restaurant. I am still baffled as to how a #6 rated restaurant in the town of Warrenton could handle a situation like this and not offer any other explanation or even offer an enticement of any sort to encourage us to give them another chance by returning. Again, we will not revisit this restaurant and will not recommend it to any of our friends who frequent the restaurants in Warrenton on a regular basis.

    (1)

  • Jamison S.

    My family and I were in downtown Warrenton over the weekend and decided to stop in at the new place Black Bear Bistro. The upstairs was decorated with bears everywhere even on the fan pull chains. I guess they like bears, but not that that was a bad thing, was cute. We were there at the height of the lunch hour and every table filled up, not that the upstairs is very large. Has a bar area too. I ordered the cheese steak sandwich and it was excellent, bread was toasted and they used real slices of steak, not steakums. Nicely melted cheese with grilled onions, perfect. I can't quite remember what my wife ordered, but she said it was very good also. The kids split a triple decker PB & J, used all natural peanut butter and looked like low sugar jelly. Healthy, but probably most kids wouldn't enjoy it. Very good experience, will definitely go back. Didn't go downstairs to see the cellar dining area, but I think they offer a little more upscale dining in the evenings there. Plus there is an outside patio dining area which was closed at the time also.

    (4)

  • kammie r.

    My family and I decided to give this place a try tonight. We had a great dinner. The food is awesome, shrimp and sausage creole dinner was the best. The kids loved the pizza and the lobster mac-n-cheese. You have to give this place a try.

    (5)

  • Jillian R.

    This place has gone down hill BIG TIME. My fiance and I discovered this restaurant by accident on a day trip to the town of Warrenton about a year ago. We had great experiences there for the first few times we went, and would go there anytime we wanted to do something fun and memorable. In fact we had our engagement party there. That is the last great experience we had there. Since my engagement party last November, each time we have dined at the restaurant, we have been extremly disappointed with the food quality, service, selection and taste. One time we made reservations and our reservation was pushed off the reservation list because a larger party came in. We ended up eating across the street because they were unable to seat us. We dined there for my birthday last week and waited an hour and 45 minutes for our food. We had asked our sever twice when the food would come and all we got was a non chalant response about a party of 20 upstairs and that the kitchen was backed up. The food was terrible when it finally did come, due to the lack of flavor and quality. There was not one person in our party that found the entrees worth the wait for the final product. The chicken was dry and had no flavor, etc. etc. same with the apps. (I can say the desserts were delicious) Noone came and offered so much as an apology, and nothing was comped off of a check for a party of 7 with apps, entrees and desserts (The only reason we gott desserts there was because by the time we finished eating it was too late to go anywhere else) with 15% gratuity automatically charged. I will not ever go there again.

    (1)

  • Jackson O.

    This place has consistently great food and service (well, 3 out of 3 times for me). The menu has plenty of variety (surf, turf, and a vegan section), and while the atmosphere spans pub (upstairs) to bistro (downstairs), the food is definitely skewed more towards the latter. A great, cozy place in the evening, sit near the fireplace in the bar upstairs, or if you want a bit more formal setting, choose downstairs. Tonight, I had delicious fish-n-chips (and I'm quite particular about my F-n-C), and my partner enjoyed wings. The fish was fresh tasting, perfectly battered, and flaky. The chips were simple home-cut fries like mom used to make, not battered, coated abominations. The tartar sauce was obviously homemade, and deliciously tangy with a few larger chunks of crispy pickle to give it texture and flavor. The wings were spicy and delicious as well. We could have chosen from a variety of upscale options, but after a pint or two of craft beers on tap (all from Virginia!), we opted for traditional pub fare. The service was outstanding, and our server/bartender (Dave) was very knowledgeable about both the food and the beer. What a great visit. They have lighter fare for lunch or dinner, as well as more filling dishes, if you are so inclined. A great find in beautiful downtown Warrenton, VA.

    (4)

  • Tim B.

    I ordered the "pulled chicken BBQ" sandwich, and what arrived was a mound of tiny, uniform cubes of chicken ("pulled?"), overwhelmingly smoky and cayenne-pepper hot, on a white bun. For a side I ordered Manhattan clam chowder which was generous with clams, but had a thin broth that tasted only of hot pepper. The reason I'm giving this restaurant three stars is my husband loved his lunch. He got the steak and cheese with a side salad. I'm willing to go back and give them another try because it's obviously overall a quality place. The service was also very friendly.

    (3)

  • Ryan N.

    I came with my girlfriend for a late dinner on a Tuesday night. The place wasn't packed, but the downstairs was steady, so we sat in the bar area upstairs. I was interested by all the bear nick knacks they had around the place, made for some good scenery. Our server was the bartender, who was quite attentive. We both opted for the steak of the day special. It was 18 bucks for what I guessed to be a 10 ounce sirloin with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. I opted for fries instead of mashed potatoes. The steak was quality meat and cooked perfectly. The vegetables were grilled squash and zucchini brushed with olive oil and seasoned. They were fantastic! The fries looked and tasted hand cut and from what I tried of the mashed potatoes, they were great with bits of skin mixed in. As mentioned before, the prices are reasonable and there are plenty of choices for every taste including some unique items (peanut crusted trout). We topped dinner off by sharing a piece of homemade German Chocolate Pie, which was probably the best dessert I have had in a restaurant in a very long time. I can't wait to come back and try some of the local brews on tap.

    (5)

  • Nick T.

    Great outdoor deck and great food and service, a spot for outdoor-loving foodies. For real brick-oven Pizza, and vegan options without the weird stare. Service was great so I'm not sure what happened for other folks. For those that follow, u know I like the brick oven pies! Always searching for you guys!

    (5)

  • Kristin G.

    Whether it is a quick lunch alone or a quality meal for an occasion, this is one of my favorite places! The food is always fantastic and I love that they have craft beer options on tap.

    (5)

  • Lydia M.

    VEGANS/VEGETARIANS BEWARE They lured me in with a mock-chicken patty and then did not have it. I have a feeling that may happen a lot because I ordered their veggie pocket which was supposed to have vegan soy crumble, but it didn't. In fact, it was pretty nasty. I was starving, so I ate it, and I felt bad about complaining because the waitress was so nice, but it was god-awful. The only thing it had in it was lettuce, tomato, cucumber and RAW mushrooms (not even remotely cooked). They did have vegan cheese, but they just sprinkled a tiny bit on the top of each sandwich. If these people knew how to make vegan food, they would know that you HAVE TO melt vegan cheese. Come on, people... Either do it well or don't do it at all.

    (1)

  • Amy J.

    Black Bear is average for me. I was not thrilled with ambiance or food. Staff were courteous and helpful. Why the 3? I ordered the shrimp Po boy. The shrimp were okay but the seasoning was too salty. The bread is a regular sub roll and they add diced tomatoes and a pickle relish(aka diced pickles) with a remoulade sauce. The sauce was okay but not enough. The French fries were okay but again over salted. I also ordered the St. Germain margarita and it was nothing spectacular despite their claim to top mixologists crating these. Finally, the price is rather expensive. Here's my tip use the check in to get 10% off.

    (3)

  • Morgan S.

    Came here on Saturday 8/15/15 around noon for lunch. I loved how we were brought water when our server greeted us. The good was delicioussss!!! My fiancé got the Turkey Reuben and he loved it!! I got the Muffalatta and was in heaven! The olive spread on the sandwich was to die for. Our total with two sandwiches and 2 waters was $25 with $5 tip. Also we both were only able to eat half our sandwiches and we ate the other half for lunch the next day and they still tasted fresh (which was mind blowing) the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because our server wasn't that great :/ Also the fries are great seemed like a hint of old bay in them

    (4)

  • dan g.

    Awesome spot in downtown Warrenton! The food is good and very consistent. I had a margarita pie last time I was there and wasn't impressed. They say it's brick oven pie but there was very little black char on the crust and the pie was very soggy. A brick oven pie should have a crispy coal or wood fire charred crust. The sandwiches and entrees I've had here have always been great, and the drinks are strong and refreshing.

    (4)

  • Janet C.

    We were passing through...made reservations on the road (wise move!) and were seated promptly. We waited a few minutes for our drinks, but no big deal. The fried oysters were terrific, as was the caprese salad. Son declared the hamburger "fantacular" (fantastic and spectacular), Daughter said the chicken tenders were delectable, she devoured the caprese salad too. My Cuban was good, but not quite delicious...I think it was missing the pickles!! My husbands special pizza with ghost cheese was described as tasty, spicy, but not over the top. (I did not particularly care for it, a bit spicy for me). Service was good and attentive. Overall, it was great Friday night meal in a very cute, walkable town!

    (3)

  • Stevie H.

    We love this place ! The staff is always friendly and great with our one year old . The brick oven pizza is our favorite , but we also recommend the sandwiches and salads . On weekend evenings they usually have live music out on the back patio , which is always fun . We like sitting downstairs . It is a little more intimate and quiet .

    (5)

  • Katie S.

    Really really really good food. We stopped in for lunch and drinks yesterday after a weekend in Luray and were very impressed. The Black Bear Bistro is right off the main drag in Warrenton and very easy to find. Our server was very pleasant and helpful. There were ample choices on their menu- so I feel confident that even picky eaters could probably find something they liked. They also have a great beer selection (although I was sad they were out of Devil's Back Bone). Our four top split fried oysters that come with a bacon habanero sauce that will melt your face off (you have been warned) and cooling blue cheese. Then we each got a different sandwich. Everyone was impressed with their food, but I think my po-boy won in yumminess. Very solid place. We look forward to coming back to try the pizza that smelled amazing and sitting in the outside courtyard that is just past the bar.

    (4)

  • Emma F.

    When I first walked in I immediately noticed how dark and cold the place was. We had reservations and both waiters seemed confused about that. Then when sat down, both AC vents above us were leaking and the waiter did nothing. When I ordered my side salad I asked to start with it and it brought to me when my main order was brought. Service was very slow. Someone in my party order's was completely wrong and very delayed. My pizza was absolutely not cooked all the way. I would not recommend and not go again.

    (2)

  • Jeff P.

    Been here a couple times now. Nice small place in Old Town Warrenton. The seating looks limited a first, but there are multiple levels plus outdoor seating in the back. Bar isn't huge, but cozy. The food is good, but pretty much what you'd expect from a bistro. The menu changes a bit every few months, so they keep it fresh. Brewed in state beers are on tap and they occasionally have some music. Staff is extremely friendly. Overall, great little place for lunch, but I don't recommend bringing the kids.

    (4)

  • William O.

    Service was good. Food was mixed. Ribs very meaty but over done, no spice, sauce was ok but not enough. Order extra on side if you like the tomato, brown sugar sauce. Burgers looked small. Pizza was cooked in hot hearth and looked good. Shrimp and grits were ok. Craft beer was cold but lacked character. Patio was ok, garbage below did not help aroma of smoker. Busy place make reservations.

    (3)

  • Dave C.

    I absolutely love this place for pizza! You cannot beat a fire and stone cooked pizza. They are always very nice here. The pizza is fresh and the ingredients are unique and local. Definitely recommended if on the mood for some great gourmet pizza.

    (5)

  • Clay W.

    Killer spot. Sit at the bar or outside patio. The wings are legit... Just order the 12 count. Many many options from quick to fancy. Do it. Do it.

    (4)

  • J E.

    This is one of the best DDD-type restaurants in downtown Warrenton! We stop in frequently and enjoy the menu here, at BlackBear as well as the menu from Brick, their Italian/BrickOven pizza joint in the basement. We were there today and enjoyed some items from a new menu - WOW! The hot dogs were AMAZING! They have specials nearly everyday, especially brunch-type items on the weekends. The food is always freshly made with great ingredients and the servers are pleasant and attentive. They also allow dogs on their back patio.

    (5)

  • Christian O.

    Good lunch specials. I like the pizza and salad option. Cool outdoor seating available in the back of the restaurant.

    (4)

  • Neal E.

    I've been to the Black Bear Bistro three times now - have to say - it's a cool little place! First time I visited was New Year's Eve - we came in for dinner. I had their version of a crab bisque - it was creamy, tasty, and had a nice bit of heat to it that I was no expecting! I also had their greens salad with pears - also good - light, crisp, and refreshing! Second time I came in for lunch - we sat in the basement. I had the meatloaf sandwich with fries. A very basic, stick-to-your ribs meal. The sandwich was good - but the meatloaf and gravy needed a little bit of salt and black pepper... This evening I stopped in to check out their craft beer selection on draft. I sat at the bar - ordered the 8 Point IPA (Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA). Served in a pint glass, it had a beautiful copper color, with a nice balance of hops and a bit of floral notes, and a deliciously strong bitter finish! An excellent Ale! Service has been good all three times I've visited! I look forward to many more visits!

    (4)

  • Toni Y.

    So, just meh. I know it's tougher on Valentine's Day but here you go. First off, when I called to confirm our rez they said it was gone (made through Open Table) but they did get us in, just not at the same.time. Thought the menu was pretty limited other than the specials. The clipboard idea for a menu, while cute was kind of creepy as they were dirty and rumpled. The she~crab soup was great, the chicken marsala, yum and beef tenderloin dinners good, not great. Very tender but not a lot of flavor (our companions added salt) and the potatoes were wierd. Beware, bread is extra. WHAT?! The first wine we chose they were out of (Jefferson Pinot Grigio) so had a Riesling which was good. Nice selection of beer. One of us had triple chocolate cake for dessert, again good not great.We scored 10% off food by using Yelp check in however the server forgot although was quick to rectify. Would not be our first choice for a return visit. Liked the ambiance except for having to go to the pizza part to use the restroom.

    (3)

  • Cory F.

    Not impressed. The entrance puts you standing right in the way of the servers. The upstairs was full so the hostess told us to go downstairs and seat ourselves. It's a different restaurant but the same menu? We went downstairs and walked into another room that didn't appear to be seat yourself. Another hostess brought us into a bar area that was crowded and loud. She didn't give us any menus and no one came over to us. A manager saw us sitting there and continued to do nothing. We were not acknowledged at all. After siting there a few minutes we went back upstairs to see what the wait was. The hostess said it would be a half hour but didn't offer a place to wait other than where we were completely in the way of the staff. She actually told us to "Go back downstairs. We are really busy but someone will eventually get to you." No thanks, far too many other choices.

    (1)

  • Meg P.

    Went there with my family and had a great experience. I wish I remembered our waitresses name because she was phenomenal. My stepdad has a thick accent and indecisive nature; she inquired about what type if beer he usually liked, suggested one and nailed it. For an appetizer we ordered wings. Now, I've worked at a wing joint before and these wings were hands down the best I've ever had. I ordered the turkey reuban and loved every bite. It isn't made with 1000 island like most reubans but instead with a sort of mustard. I didn't expect to like it but I always try new things-glad I did. This has become my families favorite place to frequent.

    (5)

  • Victoria K.

    This place is freakin' awesome! Who would have thought that you could find a place with so many vegan options out in middle-of-nowhere Warrenton?! I tried the vegan sloppy joe which was to die for! The bun was a crispy sub roll and the soy sloppy joe was tangy and full of onion and peppers. My husband did the spaghetti squash "bolognese" and it was filling and tasted super meaty, all while being totally vegan. Service was efficient, although not super friendly but I don't care. I can't wait to come back and try the brick oven pizza or brunch!

    (5)

  • Candy G.

    Worst service ever!!! We had to wait for an hour to get our food! My burger was chard and overcooked. NEVER going back!!!!

    (1)

  • Kristin R.

    Service was terrible! Food was ok. Portions were big for the money. My complaint, other than service and taking forever to get the food was that food order was wrong, came out at different times and once all the rest of the food was delivered they realized that one of the orders they didn't even have it. (Catfish po'boy) seriously, lack of communication with this restaurant. As we were leaving manager tried to be nice but as my husband tried to discuss it he was somewhat rude and the waitresses were condescending! Such a horrible experience!!

    (1)

  • Jenna C.

    It was the worst customer service and food ever. Usually I can deal with one, but not both. You see, whenever I see "bistro," I get excited because in my mind, I'm thinking Le Diplomate in DC, or the closed Pastis in the Meatpacking district, or the new Keith McNally bistro Cherche Midi. Or at least something cute and tasty. This place was not cute unless you are legally blind, and it certainly was not tasty - maybe if you were a chain smoker and didn't have any tastebuds left. My group of four ordered the hummus. Waitress with a Chinese character tattoo on her wrist comes back 10 minutes later to tell us there's no more hummus but they have an edamame hummus. She tells us it's delicious but we decline. She comes back 3 minutes later with the meager bowl of edamame hummus with some celery and soggy fried tortillas and says the chef already made it. She says she can take it off but insinuates it will go to the trash. Being the non-wasteful people we are, we accept, thinking that we weren't going to be charged for the hummus (we were wrong). But her tastebuds were also wrong because that thing had zero flavor. It needed some serious seasoning. It was like really bland baby food you give to a 3 month old who has sensitive stomach and no ability to communicate its displeasure. She comes back to take back our half eaten hummus plate away and snidely and snottily says "looks like you guys reaaaally didn't like it." Well to be honest, we only really liked the celery and soggy fried tortillas because we were hungry. She asks what could be done to improve it. I bluntly say it needs garlic and oil. She was taken back by my directness and makes an unpleasant face. As my dad always says, if you don't want stupid answers, you don't ask stupid questions. Well I guess her dad didn't teach her that. Then she comes back to get our entree orders. She tells us that the gumbo soup is delicious. I order the gumbo soup. It was disgusting. It was so bland. I tried to save it with hot sauce, salt and pepper to no avail. I call her back and ask for cayenne. She says she'll bring me "Asian hot sauce." Did I ask for Asian hot sauce? No, I asked for cayenne powder. Increasingly I become annoyed by her shitty tastebuds, shitty little attitude and her lies. She also keeps interrupting our conversation and threatens to clear my plate away as I am speaking with my friends. I told her twice in 5 minutes I'm still working on my quesadilla. However, she refuses to take away my disgusting, flavorless gumbo soup. Like is this her sick joke? Then she had the balls to ask me if I want my untouched soup boxed. After, the receipt comes. Of course, the shitty hummus is still charged. And with it comes the little suggestions of how much we should tip our waitress. I am normally a generous tipper, and I've been known to tip 50% especially when I am inebriated but man, they should really get those "suggestions" off their receipts if their waitresses are not up to doing their jobs. I leave a meager 10% and feel no shame. In fact, I feel like that was overly generous. For the cost of the foods, it was such a sham. DC prices for a country "biiiistro" where the chef and waitress obviously smoked their tastebuds into oblivion? Good luck tricking others to come back for seconds.

    (1)

  • Angela G.

    Stopped here for early dinner after a wine tasting on a Monday, so not very crowded at all. Had an almost private table out on the back patio. Lovely atmosphere. In the mood for a burger and their Baby Burger was just right--Papa and Mama Burgers available also--but no homage to Goldilocks or porridge on the menu. It was one of the better burgers I've tasted...added provolone cheese and some fresh sweet peppers! Got the Gazpacho as my side...wow it was so full of vegetables, you could see the veggies piled high from far away as the waitress made her way to our table...a very good version of this chilled soup (probably less soup than veggies). My sis got the tofu steak, which didn't knock her socks off, but was good enough...two big slabs of tofu glazed in a soy based sauce. She liked the couscous and green beans that came with it. For the vegetarians out there, they do have a number of menu options. Large local beer and wine offerings too. We split the peach and cherry bread pudding, which grew on me as I was eating, however they did seem to use canned cherries. Our waitress was very sweet and checked in regularly. But it was a little strange that she didn't realize the bistro's happy hour was going on (3 to 6pm), or exactly what the specials were for HH (advertised as you walked in) when we inquired about it. Black Bear Bistro rates a solid 3.5, edging towards a 4. Most of the items used local fresh ingredients and I could taste it in our dishes, which was a big plus, along with good menu offerings. Take note of the bear theme throughout the restaurant and bar--and on the menu.

    (4)

  • Ray H.

    Visited the Black Bear last night on the way through town. Very glad we found it. We were seated promptly downstairs, in what was a very nice, pub sort of atmosphere. We ordered salads and burgers. My wife had the 4-ounce Baby Bear; and I had the Papa Bear - three 4-ounce patties stacked together. The burger was outstanding in itself, but the pepper jack cheese on mine was something to remember. If they didn't make it there, it was obviously local. The salad dressing was house made as well, and was very good. I don't think the fries came out of a bag, either. For dessert, we shared a piece of their homemade Boston cream pie. Again, outstanding. At about $40, we felt we got a quantity/quality value. We'll be back next time we come through.

    (4)

  • John K.

    The lobster Mac and cheese is top shelf. We loved this place and will make the 1.5 hour drive to go back there soon.

    (4)

  • Paul T.

    burger was okay, but my server Shelby was AWESOME ....great service, very nice .......keep it up !!!

    (4)

  • Ian O.

    We were looking for a good restaurant while waiting for our daughter and came on the Black Bear Bistro. It had some good reviews, so we decided to try it. It was excellent, so the next time we were in Warrenton, we ate there again. Between the two visits, we had fish and chips (excellent), Orange Ginger Salmon (excellent), Smoked Ribs (excellent), and Bratwurst Platter (OK). The only reason I rate the bratwurst as OK is I lived in Germany for 9 years and have an expectation of what it should taste like. The saurkraut here is a bit sweet for my taste. Overall, the service was very good and I'm looking forward to going back.

    (4)

  • Ginger A.

    We stopped for lunch here on a Saturday, and because of the county fair - there was hardly anyone on Main Street. We were literally the only people in the front dining room for a good 15 minutes, so it was quiet and definitely not busy. I don't want to comment much on the service because we can't let one guy ruin it for the restaurant. Our waiter seemed annoyed that we were there, but the waiter for the table next to us served his customers very well! So I won't judge the restaurant on that! The restaurant has a great small Vegan menu, from which I ordered the Fried Green Tomato sandwich with a side salad. It was GREAT. I loved it. My husband ordered the burger, and he only had good things to say as well. In my opinion, the best part of this place was the small plates they used! Do NOT go here looking for large portions at lunch, you will be disappointed. I was actually HAPPY that they used a small plate! I will definitely return for lunch. For about $16 my husband and I got the burger and sandwich, and two glasses of water. I appreciate their Vegan menu and hope they will work to expand it!

    (4)

  • Camilla G.

    A local restaurant offering an impressive selection of vegan offerings. Service is generally expedient and cheerful.

    (4)

  • Sofia B.

    Excellent burgers! Really attentive service!

    (5)

  • Les B.

    We've been here several times. The food is good but I wouldn't say it is outstanding. The lobster mac & cheese was very good; everything else our party of four ordered was OK. This is definitely NOT the place to go if you are a wine person - there's basically a choice of 2 reds and 2 whites by the glass. Our service was good, no problems there. We felt the menu was a little limited in choices, but we had no major complaints about the food or service. Two of us ordered an appetizer and salad because there were no entrees we really were interested in. We came here a few years ago and waited an HOUR for a table for 8 people - they wanted to seat us upstairs but finally after waiting an hour they sat us downstairs. The restaurant is fairly small and I would not recommend it for large parties - basically it's best for parties of 2 or 4 people.

    (3)

  • RC H.

    Gave it another try after two years figuring that things were better. The burger was great. The waiter was somewhat pretentious at first but warmed up.

    (3)

  • Alexandra T.

    Black Bear is great! My fiance and I love going here on date night. He loves the beer and we both love the food! We always get their ribs, which are probably some of the best I have ever had. There are two separates areas in the building, the main floor eating area and a cellar. We have had food in both and enjoyed both settings. The cellar is a little more romantic for any of the couples who are looking for that. Food is excellent, beautiful place, and a good time!

    (5)

  • Jessica W.

    I like Black Bear Bistro. It's a nice, quaint spot in a quaint town. I've only been a couple of times but the food has been delicious every time. It's nothing fancy, but the taste of the food is top notch. I had the BBQ sandwich and it was very tasty. The wings are also good! I would definitely recommend a stop in here if you find yourself passing through or want somewhere to go on the regular. I have yet to spend some quality time at the bar but it looks like a nice spot to hang out for a few brews. They also offer coupons pretty frequently which is always appreciated, both through yelp and other sources like specialicious, etc.

    (4)

  • Troy R.

    I love Yelp for giving access to places you would never see otherwise. This place was fantastic. I had the Tuna that was topped with crab. Normally I would be concerned as good tuna doesn't need to be topped, but both were incredibly fresh and tasty. And their collection of local brewers was a pleasant surprise. I sat at the bar and had some good conversations with the staff. They were friendly and provided excellent service. If my travels bring me back here I will definitely come back!

    (4)

  • Lisa R.

    I've frequented this location over the years as it's changed names and owners and restaurants but I'm finally a fan of Black Bear. Our first time there just a week or so after it opened I was a little underwhelmed with the food, but we found ourselves back in Warrenton again and decided to go. I was glad i did. Everything was delicious! The waitstaff was friendly and prompt. The atmosphere (especially downstairs) is a neat little spot.

    (4)

  • Pablo T.

    I love many things about the Black Bear Bistro. Here is the most important: the food is fantastic and beautifully presented and in perfect portions. Everything I've eaten there has made me smile, but tonight I experienced the amazing Pizza Burger. Doesn't sound like much, but let me tell you, it's a wonderful experience in taste. I love that Chef Todd works hard to incorporate locally sourced ingredients into his menu and creations. You'll find meats and cheeses from local farms featured. I know of no other place to find so many Virginia beers offered on tap. Become very good friends with the Black Bear.

    (5)

  • Jack S.

    On our way back from Old Rag this weekend, and we were talking about ribs. Barbeque pork ribs specifically. Yelped on my phone and found another place in town, but it was closed, so we stopped here. Glad we did friends... Local beers (all VA, but for promotion's sake they should tell you what they are... I had a stout that I'd have again, but I don't know what it is), massive plate of ribs, seat by the fire (gas, but hey, still cozy). My companion had the chicken tetrazinni special and a Nut Brown Ale that was also good. So these ribs were no joke. You know how some ribs have a half inch of meat on them, something like that? These ribs were as thick as a goddamned dictionary. Smoky, spicy crust, tart sauce. It's the next morning and I'm still not hungry. We'll definitely come back here on our way through town, and I suggest you do too.

    (5)

  • G G.

    My friends and I visited Black Bear on Dec 30 and I have to say it was the most disappointing dining experience in several years. They were out of many menu items which the server told us about. Once we ordered and were expecting our food the server returned and two of us were forced to change our order. 10 minutes later he returned, once again, to say they were again out of part of the revised order! Drinks were poor tasting and when we asked to speak to the manager the sever informed us he was the manager. The food we finally did receive was lack luster and when we asked about dessert were told they didn't have any. An overall disappointing experience. If you are dining in Warrenton there are several good alternatives on the same street.

    (1)

  • Devin C.

    This is a good place for lunch. My fiancee and I both ordered burgers, which are small patties stacked as one two or three on a bun. The double is pretty big to bite into, so I don't know how you'd eat a triple. But it was nicely grilled and very tasty. I was surprised to learn the place is relatively new, because it looked kind of '80s in there. No big deal, but it just seemed like an older place. My fiancee had some issues with the service, but I thought the quality burger and fries made up for the time it took.

    (4)

  • David C.

    Second time here. The food's great and they have a small selection of all-Virginia beer. In a great downtown area of old town Warrenton.

    (4)

  • Chris N.

    Wow, what a perfect little sandwich place! The menu is truly a thing to behold, it took me 5 minutes to finally choose just one thing to order. The food was created by someone with an eye for the unique and was perfectly executed. It's the kind of place where you know the chef considers their job a calling. The staff were super friendly, stopping to chat to us for 10 minutes because they were genuinely nice and interested in meeting us. Perfect little sandwich place. Great ambiance, cute bear nic-nacs. Parking was a pain.

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    Stopped here while returning from our vacation and we really liked it. The restaurant is vegetarian/vegan friendly with several great choices. Service was very good and we enjoyed the dark, more formal area, in the basement. The appetizers were great. We chose boardwalk cut fries**** with a hint of old bay and homemade chips**** which came with excellent curry sauce. Our kids thought their simple grilled cheese sandwiches**** were great. I elected the vegan sloppy joe***, a treat after so many years of being a vegetarian. My wife really liked the interesting white bean bruchetta. I'm not sure we'd ever be in the area again, but if so, we'd go there in a second.

    (4)

  • Spencer A.

    Consistantly crap service as well as overpriced and spotty food, three visits and three strikes, I'm never going back.

    (1)

  • Kevin W.

    My girlfriend and I stopped in here by chance while out for a ride on the Harley. Lucky us! We made it around 2:30 After the lunch crowd and before the dinner crowd. Perfect timing. The decor and atmosphere was nice enough that I would feel perfectly fine bringing a first date. But also felt comfortable in my riding gear. The staff is friendly and attentive. We started with the Lobster Mac & Cheese. YUMMM!!! I have had better but I'm a push over for Pasta, Cheese, and Seafood. Combine the three and I'm easy. I had the Muffuletta Sandwich with fries. I will say that the only thing muffuletta about it was the Olive spread. That said...Delicious!!! Melissa (my girlfriend) had the Monte Cristo and Maryland Crab Chowder. The crab chowder was really good but nothing to rave about. The Monte Cristo however was Freaking Delicious! It was served with a raspberry dipping sauce that absolutely made the trip to Warrenton worth it. Also it should be noted that they make their own pickles there in house that are delicious as well. The server said we had an Asian style pickle, but because they make them there you never know what you might get. Love this place. Love this small town. Love the pickles. I'll be back. Hope they have Asian pickles again.

    (4)

  • E Y.

    We chose this restaurant based on positive Yelp reviews, and were sorely disappointed. While we're waiting to be seated, I looked around the room and saw a lot of people at tables with drinks and no food. That should have been a tip off to the REALLY slow service. We were seated in the dark basement and waited for over 15 minutes with no one even acknowledging us or asking to take our drink or food orders. We again noticed more people around us with no food. So we decided to leave and try someplace else. We told the hostess we were leaving due to not just slow, but no service. And all she said was,"Ok." So we went 2 doors down to Molly's Irish Pub where we were greeted with a smile and a lovely waitress who took our order in less than 5 minutes.!

    (1)

  • Lulu D.

    First visit to Black Bear this afternoon. The hostess (young blonde) was friendly and helpful. The burger, salad and eggs benedict were good. Our service was excellent (male in his 40's ?). We sat by the window and watched as many people came in for lunch (the wine bar/restaurant ? across the street attracted them first but it was closed for some reason so they crossed the street to the Black Bear). We don't know how noisy this place gets at dinner, but for a weekend lunch it was quiet and you could carry on a conversation easily. The food isn't out of this world but its good, and we'll stop back in when in town again.

    (4)

  • Arthur H.

    Can't recommend it. We stopped in at about 7 on a Sunday evening. No one was inside (the waiter was sitting outside reading a book), and two tables were filled on the patio. They have a sandwich board with specials - they were out of two of them. I wanted something simple, and ordered the pulled chicken barbecue sandwich. They were out of it. My companion had the Turkey Reuben - she didn't expect the turkey to be smoked. Doesn't quite go on a Reuben. And the sauerkraut was coleslaw. And I ordered a Chicken Caesar salad. The chicken was quite good, and the romaine was fresh. But the Caesar dressing had a definite horseradish taste, the cheese was hardly to be found and there were no croutons. Oh, yes, and the service was friendly, but oh, so slow. Maybe an off night, or a bad time. But that's it for us.

    (2)

  • Ryan E.

    I tried so hard to like this place, really I did! A friend had recommended this place to me, and when it comes to food I trust her judgement on everything. One day, my mom, friend and I decided to go to this restaurant to have coffee and tea after having a heavy lunch simply to check the place out and see if it was the type of restaurant we would like. It has a nice outside seating area/porch and sense we had our dog with us we decided to sit outside to enjoy a nice coffee/ tea. I had told the hostess we would be sitting outside and told her we were there for coffee and tea, not lunch. She was very polite and told us to go ahead and sit outside and she would let one of the waiters know we were out there. When we got outside we noticed they were not very busy and had two waiters servicing the porch area alone. We sat for awhile enjoying the ambiance but quickly realized that the wait staff seemed to be ignoring us. My friend went back inside to make sure we were there to order stuff and he over heard the waiter saying very rude and mean things about us. This really annoyed me, so we decided to leave. I did, however, go and tell the hostesses and the owner the way we were treated and they all apologized and said they would take care of the issue. A few days later, we decided to give it another try, this time it was me and my friend from the first trip, plus my aunt and her friend. We sat at the porch again but quickly realized that the waiter was extremely rude again. He was unfriendly and seemed completely unwilling to refill our drinks or do anything other than take our order and bring our food. While I did enjoy the food and the ambiances, the rude attitudes of both of the waiters really gives me a bad impression of this place. I really don't think I will ever go back because the food is not worth the high price to have to put up with rude, snobby wait staff. I will say the hostesses and the owner are all really nice, but the waiters ruin it!

    (2)

  • Kelly Y.

    Happened on this little place while on a trip. Had dinner late on a Monday evening, sat on the patio, it was lovely but sadly empty, probably as it was a Monday evening. Food was very good, we both had dinner specials and they were exactly as described. The server was very helpful and we enjoyed some local brews as well!

    (4)

  • Deb S.

    Went there Sat Mar 9 around 5:30pm. Not very busy. Seated in lower level. Waitress didn't know what was being served with what. Ordered Mac&cheese lobster from reviews. There was two pieces of nickel size lobster rest was crumb size. Taste was good. Next came sweet potato fries which were warm not hot. Our meal was two pieces of meat with mashed potato and I counted 6 small slices of zucchini. I had called the restaurant to inform them of our experience. Person took our name to call back at more convenient time. No call yet.

    (1)

  • Katherine T.

    My husband and I went there for the first time this past Saturday. I had heard from a friend that it was a good place to eat; she & her family had been there a few times and liked what they ate. When we walked in we were greeted promptly. We were asked if we wanted to dine upstairs or downstairs. The upstairs seemed a little small and most of the tables were full so we opted for down stairs. We should have stayed upstairs where there are windows. Downstairs there is a bar and what looks to be two dining areas. The downstairs was small and pretty full as well. We were seated in a corner and there didn't seem to be much ventilation so it was a bit stuffy. the table were seated a little close for comfort to the other tables. The waitress seemed to take a while to come to us but once she did our drinks came quickly along with placing our order. My husband ordered the gyro and it said it was thin sliced lamb. He got it and it was pretty full but the pieces were chunky he ended up eating like 1/2 of it. The fries tasted weird, im not sure if they were sweet potato fries or not but there may have been there were to many spices on them to tell. They were different. I ordered the burgers with cheese and grilled onions on a toasted bun. The burgers were Great! We want to go back, but this time we are going to dine upstairs, get burgers and a cold beer. I will follow up with hopefully a better experience next time.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Black Bear Bistro & Cellar

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