Stopped over enroute to Vegas, ordered their special, " Steak & shrimp", beside the price was great, food met expectation with huge portion, couldn't finish the potato and veggie on the plate. Service was consistent and showed excellence in team work regardless table assignment. Noticed manager on duty was helpful & pleasant. Will definitely come back next time when we travel in this area. .
(5)
Susan R.
I have to up my stars from three to four after tasting the food. It's very good. Never mind, back down to three stars!! The restaurant does not look dirty, it's pretty brightly lit with rich tones throughout. However it's the lack of cleanliness that is most of my issue. As I started this review, my waitress (Rochelle, totally nice but called me "sweetie" and "honey" throughout. Please don't!!!) and another waitress ("the blonde") were rolling silverware. The blonde started hacking, not even kidding, into her hand and in the general direction of "away from the silverware". Open mouth hack and cough, generally with her head turned but not completely away from the silverware. I appreciate that effort but. Not. Good. Enough. My issue? Turned back around and continued to roll the silverware. Yuck. I will never return based on that alone. The other pieces of not clean were the menu, a well used newspaper with a food stain on it. That should have been my first clue, huh? I watched the cook throw my garnish (orange and lettuce) onto my plate with his bare hands. I had to reassure myself that he probably washes his hands, but I have no clue if he does or not. I usually eat the orange, this time I did not. I unrolled my silverware when my food was coming to find food crumbs tightly wrapped into the napkin. The silverware itself had fingerprints. And now I'm gonna stop because that's enough of cleanliness issues. Cleanliness rating: 1.5 stars The food was very good except by this time, I'm so turned off by the coughing, the cooks bare hands, and dirty silverware that I almost left. I didn't. Let me say the homemade sausage was phenomenal and hot. The bacon is nothing special but cooked very well. I ordered my eggs over medium-well and the cook did a stellar job. He's a very good cook, for sure! The fruit was sufficient but not fresh. It was good, I ate most of it. Potatoes were good, but not done enough for my taste. Not their fault, I just like my potatoes crispy and they were not. Food rating: 4 stars. My waitress, Rochelle, did a fine job, she's a hard worker and I tipped her well. Waitress rating: 4 stars except the sweetie and honey.
(3)
John F.
Great food! Great fun! Great server! Jill was the best. She was quick to fix our order. Kept the iced tea flowing! The size of the plates are scary if your not very hungry. Bring the apatite!
(5)
Junior E.
Wow talk about a place that feeds a person with a huge appetite, but also allowing you to enjoy soccer in their nice flat screen. Be aware portions are huge and pretty tasty and coffee comes out steaming hot!! I got to order the their special 6 egg omelette with a variety of meats and veggies. It also came with biscuit n gravy and a huge side of country side potatoes for only $12.99. I was able to eat half of the omelette and some potatoes, and was put into a food comma. We're giving this place a 3.5 rating!! Will be back to try their pancakes.
(3)
Dave H.
I thought the food was great and Jill was an amazing waitress
(4)
Keith K.
Melissa was excellent! Service was prompt and friendly. Never had to ask for refills and made us look forward to coming back again soon. Just wonderful. Oh, the food was good too.
(4)
Randy M.
20 minute wait to get in no problem as busy is a sign of good food. Problem was service. Waitress took order and someone in our party ordered a Bear Claw. 45 minutes later the bear claw arrived. Waitress came by once to refill coffee. Another 15 minutes goes by and she stops by once more and says, "folks I'll check on your order. It seems like it's taking a while." You think?! Within 45 seconds our order magically appears. Mind you most of it was stuff that could have just been plated oh, I don't know 35 minutes earlier!!! Last chance for the BBD!
(1)
Jim G.
I have really tried to like this place. But it's a hit and miss kinda place. Just like the one in Sacramento, California. I ordered the " Volcano " .... Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage. Sounds good huh ? Kinda of, sort off.......... I got two very underdone fried eggs, Luke warm bacon and the kind of nice fat sausage that after it cools down it shrivels up like how your toes look after being in water too long. Pancakes were great. Nice and hot and tasty. Sent the whole plate back. Finally I get my plate and again the pancakes were great. But !!!! the bacon was cooked fine in the middle but the ends were raw. The sausages was good this time. The eggs came again under cooked like the first time. I sent it away and decided not to eat anything. The manager came over and after a thousand apologies he finally talked me into taking home a free pie. I guess he thought that would make things all better............. NOT !!!! Today was not my day....... read what happen at the Outback in Boise.
(2)
Chris H.
Its like a step up from IHOP / Denny's or this type of food and price point. Servers have always been good or great. Large plates of food if you want some comfort breakfast. Coffee taste awful but that is on par for any diner.
(4)
kathy W.
Great food and prices. staff is very attentive and nice!
(5)
Kim P.
Disappointed we had someone do that big steak, and all the food got cold while they prepared the steak. Cheese was hard again by the time I got my omelette. Nothing was hot or warm except the steak which was over cooked. Place was packed and I have no clue why? Cold food and bad slow service... Hate cold food and bad service then ur expected to tip...grrr it was suppose to be a nice breakfast with someone from out of town and it sucked at the black bear diner bc they don't know how to time food for quality and they act like chickens with their heads cut off. Slow ur roll ppl. Take a breath an d think ...do ppl like cold food? Better remake that bc it sat too long...manager sucks not to tell staff that. Totally wasted $60 there.
(2)
Mark K.
Well first review on yelp is going to be a negative review. Went to Black Bear this afternoon and absolutely was under-impressed. I ordered the (and this is copied from their menu): B.L.A.S.T.* - Three layers of Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Swiss cheese, Tomato & Mayonnaise. Imagine my surprise when I received 3 pieces of "Wonder" style bread cut into three pieces. Two pieces of bacon, a sad piece of lettuce, two tomatoes, a quarter avocado, and a single slim piece of cheese. Are you kidding me?!? I paid $10 for something I could make at home for less than $2. And where is the "3 layers of Bacon" as the menu says? This is a major snafu in ethical marketing. Tell me it is 3 pieces of dry bread instead of "3 layers of bacon" - it was the bacon that compelled my purchasing decision. The ONLY reason they get two stars is because their garlic fries were good. I will not recommend going here.
(2)
Kapono L.
Iv been here a few times and the service has always been great. They get busy on sundays so be prepared to wait a little longer for your meal. I think for the price and portions you get (which are very large) they are very resonable. Iv really only gotten breakfast here and lunch on occasion, but iv never had a bad meal here and iv NEVER left here hungry! If your hungry and want great service... Give em a try!
(4)
Josh K.
me and my family been to black bear several times really enjoy the atmosphere and the food was good. we have a 1 year old son who has milk sensitivity the wait staff did go out of there way to help us avoid milk products.
(4)
Mick P.
Absolute filth, never had a worse meal. Imagine making eggs benedict but substituting the hollandaise with the oil weeping out of molten processed cheese. I felt sick, would rather lick the sidewalk, seriously - that bad. Management obviously does not eat there or they would know. The worse food in Boise.
(1)
Molly P.
The biscuits are homemade, also their desserts. Very reasonable prices and large portions. The menu is large and they serve all meals at all times. The service was good. Overall a nice place.
(3)
Robyn L.
We like to come here for breakfast or lunch on Sundays. The food is good, but the service can be inconsistent at times. The wait staff is nice, but thirty minutes is a long time to wait after ordering. I'm hoping they'll have more staff during the Sunday rush so we can keep going back!
(3)
Nicole D.
I had an avocado and mushroom egg white omelet and cut hashbrowns. There was zero flavor and the avocado gave the omelet a funky texture. Two people had the roast beef sandwiches which they thought were just fine. Another person had the Asian chicken salad which she had during another visit but was not happy with the second go-around. The service was absolutely retched. It was busy yes, but we were completely ignored the entire table service. The waiter would disappear after you asked him for a side of salsa, extra this or more of that. At one point we begged the hostess who just happened to be walking by to help us, which she did and were thankful. Black Bear Diner would also be wise to brush up on their "gluten free menu"...I put it in quotes because it is a joke. One salad is labeled gluten free along with one dressing, the rest I was told was "probably not" gluten free...huh? The server just kind of gave me a blank stare when I inquired.
(3)
Rachel Z.
Cute cabin ambiance! Scrambled eggs yuck overdone and not tasty! Husbands order came back wrong. Pretty nice staff and good service except for the major lack of coffee refills and other things that I'm too lazy to write about! Will go back to try lunch! Oh and the French toast was off idk if it was the bread, syrup, or butter ... Tasted mass produced or something!
(2)
Eric J.
Went here a few weeks back for sunday lunch and really enjoyed it! My girlfriend and I both had breakfast food and it was VERY good. The portions are very big and prepared fresh. We also took home a coconut cream pie that was really good as well. When we dont want to mess with going downtown Boise this is our breakfast spot for sure!
(4)
Jeremy P.
It's hard to beat Black Bear Diners breakfast! Always excellent!! Great food, Great service!
(5)
Pink T.
The food was DELICIOUS and the service was great. The portion sizes are large. I had the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. Very good!
(4)
Bill P.
I live in Seattle, my daughter lives in Boise. So when we came to visit her, she insisted on taking us here. We weren't sorry. There was no wait time, the staff was courteous and professional as well as pleasant. The one thing that stands out most in this restaurant is VALUE. The portions are huge, and the prices are reasonable. I had a problem with my order, and they handled it extremely well, and gave me a complimentary dessert to boot. I get to Boise a lot, and I'm definitely going to remember this place. Outstanding!
(5)
Clark M.
We were looking for someplace new to eat, so we decided to try the Black Bear Diner. Big Mistake. I ordered a turkey sandwich. Don't know what that red, processed stuff was on my sandwich, but it didn't resemble turkey. Completely inedible. My wife ordered an omelet. Can't say it tasted bad, because it really didn't have much taste at all. Don't make the mistake we did by going here. Goodwood is just down the street, and they serve a good meal.
(1)
Tamara N.
We decided to give this place a try, even though we rarely go out to eat where we don't have coupons, or special deals. We were very pleased, The food was very good, and our server was very personable, and attentive. Hubby likes to have his drinks refilled very often, and he was not disappointed. Our server's name was Zack, and we would highly recommend sitting in his section. Also, even though it is $6, go for the blackberry cobbler. There is plenty for sharing, and it is delicious, especially if paired with the huckleberry ice cream!
(5)
Tina P.
OK, I'll start with saying that the food was great! The cooks here know what they're doing for sure. Thank you for that! That's the only reason I went back a second time. My boyfriend and sister took me here for my birthday breakfast (ended up being around 1pm). The service was like none I've ever experienced. We sat for 45 minute with empty coffee mugs, our server was only concerned with making sure all the placemats and utensils were perfectly aligned on all of the other tables (strange because my sister had to to get a placemat and utensils from another table since he didn't give her one), he didn't ask us once how our food was, we were basically ignored by our server the entire time AND our dirty plates sat in front of us until the moment we got up from the table. I could partly understand if the place was busy but it looked like we were the only table the server had. So needless to say this wasn't the best birthday breakfast I've ever had. I was so excited for this restaurant to come into town. Sorry it turned ut to be such a disappointment. I was willing to give them a second chance (which this was) but am really thinking a third won't be an option.
(2)
David B.
Ask for French toast no milk because I'm allergic to it and the waiter was like what do you mean let me go get the manger de dee dee and after all that I still got really sick. This place is not really for any one to eat at. Also he never filled my coffee I had to ask the manger lol never coming back
(1)
Nora P.
Along with everyone else.. we were eager to give this place a try.. Went yesterday- a monday 8/6 around 2 PM figuring we'd miss the crowd.. The menu is MASSIVE... Portion size must be as well.. since the wait staff proudly acknowledges that there is a "smaller size" breakfast,lunch and dinner menu in the midst of this giant menu. I have a problem with a waitstaff that is either trained or has developed a less than professional.. in your face.. too friendly manner... Either drippy fake sweet, or kneeling at your table.. Just be professional and efficient.. that's all I ask. I asked what the soup of the day was.. and was told homemade turkey noodle.. Sounded good.. but wasn't so good.. Of course if you are starting with turkey loaf rather than real turkey.. it's hard to develop a flavor to your broth.. and the one inch cubes of pesudo meat really overwhelmed my cup of soup...Basic burger and mountain of fries that my husband had.. were adequate.. Can't say that there is any reason that I'd return again....
I love this place. The atmosphere is great and so is the service. You ALWAYS get your money's worth because the portion sizes are extra large.
(5)
Steve S.
First thing you will notice is the decor which leads you to check google maps and see if you are in McCall or Boise. This was my first stop for picking up lunch orders for my team of co-workers, while I did not stay for a dining experience the place looked pretty full. Pick up was fairly quick and timely also the price of this place is not bad at all for the amount of food that you get. So what was on the menu? Buscuits and gravy of course! I am a connoisseur when it comes to this dish, I am quick to test every breakfast place by their buscuits and gravy. Being a cook who loves to make this dish I understand what technique make outstanding B&G, the most important thing is the Buscuits. Overall my dish was nothing special, what kept it from being outstanding was the texture of the buscuits. They were very doughy and heavy, great buscuits are aerated in the whipping process to make them light and fluffy. The gravy had okay flavor and used chunks of sausage which shows that it is fresh. The gravy they use could benefit from a seasoning fix as the gravy is rather thick like a paste instead of a creamy gravy. For a super creamy gravy always cut open your buscuit and lay your over easy egg down, next cover with gravy and cut through the yolk will mix with the gravy adding a creamier richness to every bite. If your looking for breakfast on a dime where quantity is King, this place is worth a visit but it's not for those who want quality. (Better than you can cook at home)
(3)
John D.
I see that Yelpers have generally panned this place. Yes, the decor is cheesy, and the board of early dinner specials from 2 to 6 makes it appear that they have the senior citizen market dialed in. But they make a damn fine breakfast. The pancakes are fluffy with a hint of vanilla. The eggs are cooked to order. The portions are generous, and the service is friendly. If you can get beyond the kitschy decor, your most important meal of the day can be a good one.
(4)
Rebecca W.
I give this a solid 4 stars because of the great customer service and great food. This isn't exactly my favorite type of restaurant to go to just for personal preference but if I am in the mood for some down-home comfort food I would definitely go back. Our waitress and the other staff were extra nice and friendly and helpful. Our waitress said their hand breaded chicken parmasean was one of her favorites and it did not disappoint! Huuuge portions so beware! The crowd was a lot of older folks when we went. Overall, I really enjoyed our experience there!
(4)
Jeremy L.
I have no idea why this has such low ratings. I believe it is best place for for your money. Our waiter was fast, efficent, always checked on us ,food was delicious and a lot of it I would recommend this place. I also will return and return again. best place
(5)
Lauren F.
I am a picky eater so at most restaurants I usually find my food on the children's menu. But when I asked for a kids menu here, the waitress outright refused to give me one. The waitress told me there was no way I could order off the kids menu because I am over 12 years old. She said I could order smaller portions off the normal menu, even though I explained to her that was not what I was looking for. Luckily she did say they serve breakfast all day, and I happen to like most breakfast foods. So reluctantly I went with my staple, french toast. When my food came it was cold and super soggy. I struggled to down even one slice. I knew I should have just ordered a pop and no food. I only came here to support a little band and maybe get a meal. Not only was the waitress unusually stubborn with me, but she was rude to the band. She was always yelling "jokes" at them and interrupting them. I came for music, not her stand up routine. Bad service, bad food, I won't be coming back here because apparently this customer is always wrong.
(1)
Ivan N.
Food was alright... Average I would say but good serving sizes. But Kayla Kayla provided great service so it evened out!
Ok, my in-law's (86 & 89) had heard from their friends this place was good! I truly was concerned as my husband was driving there, I reading reviews... By the time there, I opted for bkfst. Reviews were right, decor a bit cheesy in a "great-grandma decorating" kinda way AND breakfast was delicious. My half of an avocado was perfectly ripe on my bkfst scramble and the portion was really good size. My husband who thinks most stuff fried is pretty good (Chicken Fried Steak)..was very happy as well (uh, I thought ok, not really a fan of CFS but it wasn't greasy!). Our grown-ish daughter very happy with her Thanksgiving sandwich (huge!) & even better, my elderly inlaws COULD HEAR US talking (not the open, industrial type ceiling here) & they were thrilled with their food (Shrimp platter & the "Little Less" menu CFS with green beans which my mom-in-law loved). So, the kicker for me here. .I saw 3 OTHER tables all with 3 generations sitting enjoying a meal together. Several elderly couples etc. .definitely not upper scale dining or diners types at all. And that's OKAY! The wait staff isn't particularly professional and seemed to be "trained" to say "hun & sweetie" which kinda bugged me at first then I decided to lighten up and just enjoy the time. Since I'm much more the "foodie" than the bunch, I sat back & listened, didn't worry that my homemade biscuit (HUGE) tasted just a tad stale because everyone was very full & happy! There was still plenty to take home (including the bread pudding which wasn't the best or by far the worst we've had, but the sauce delicious & still good a day later!) I decided as we were leaving and my mom - in-law said...."well, honey, that was the most food I've seen in a long time for $10"...there ya go, if the mama happy, then the rest of us should be happy!
(4)
Mandi S.
We've been coming for awhile now. We love the regulars. Serve and food is great. Huge portions. We have our favorites. The rib dinner is amazing. I always do sauce on the side. Taco salad is enough to feed a small army. The owners are very nice and friendly people.
(4)
Edwin S.
I am a fan of black bear dinner, but this specific restaurant has some issues. The wait staff is not trained well. We have gone multiple times and did not have a good experience. The food is OK at this one and the portions are good. We haven't gone back after the visits.
(2)
Missy B.
We've driven by the Black Bear Diner many times and always noticed the full parking lot. Figuring that was the sure sign of a winning restaurant, we decided to try it on a Friday night. Our visit followed the trend--the place was packed. We arrived a few minutes before five o'clock, and were seated right away, but within 30 minutes, the entire restaurant was full with a large number of people waiting for a table. Considering our experience, we find this baffling. Don't get me wrong, the food and service were acceptable, okay even, but certainly nothing to wait in line for, and probably not enough to convince us to return for a second visit. The portions were huge (HUGE). One person at our table ordered the Reuben sandwich, and they must have put 6 cups of french fries on the plate. Unfortunately, they were typical frozen fries, a slight notch below good fast-food fries, and he didn't come close to finishing them. I had the chicken fried steak, which was also huge, but it was very run-of-the-mill. It is not hand-made in the restaurant and tastes like any other industrial, frozen, mass-produced chicken fried steak smothered in gravy made from powdered mix. The mashed potatoes were real, not instant, but lacked seasoning. It was the kind of meal you can find in any Denny's around the country, but Black Bear Diner charges 35% more. The kid's pizza, like all the other meals, was huge, but consisted of a very puffy crust, a smear of tomato sauce, and probably no more than a tablespoon of cheese. The waitress actually drew our attention to this as she served it and offered two or three times to bring us some more cheese for it (though I don't know how yummy cold, grated cheese sprinkled on pizza would be). The kids at our table didn't complain, though and seemed to like it. The waitress was very nice, but a little scattered. This may be because of how busy they were (again, we don't understand it). We had to ask for silverware several times and she kept going to get refills only to get distracted and forget. I'd rate her three stars. In summary, this place does a business, but based on the food WE tasted, we're not sure why. We found it overpriced with mediocre food. Sadly, our search for perfect diner-style fare will have to continue at another establishment....
(2)
Joe C.
Cold, too many condiments on the California burger. The burger was much smaller than on previous visits. Stingy with the onion rings. Will Not be back.
(1)
Keith A.
First impressions: Alright, I did not read the reviews until I sat down. I am now worried about my food. First off, the clientele is most Definatly not into yelping. I am 43 and I may be the youngest person here, by a considerable margin. Outside is inviting, who doesn't want to eat at a place that has huge wooden bears. The carpet reminds me of the old Dees diners, mashed and nasty. My table slants horribly and I fear my food may just slide off. Service: We were seated promptly, she took iur order quickly, but has not stopped by to fill our drinks in the last 10 mins since we ordered. Additionally, my wife's water tastes like lemon from the dishwasher (note, there is no lemon in her glass). While waiting for our food, the kitchen peeps yelled food up, but then had to go find a server.. Hopefully that isn't our food. Food : The food was.... Large. What the food lacked in quality, they tried to make up for I quantity. I didn't even eat a quarter of my food. Bottom line, if you are an octogenarian looking for love, this place might be up your ally. For everyone else, I would go to Chili's or McDonald's.
(1)
Dave W.
Some friends gave me a generous amount on a gift card, and they rave about this place. My mom and I went for dinner, and when we walked in, I was overwhelmed by some throbbing Juke Box in the entrance that just thumped. It was the bass line to some song, but was entirely bass. Just annoying. We only had water to drink, and I thought it odd that there was no ice in the glass. I thought that was perhaps because I hadn't ordered "ice water" since people at nearby tables had ice in their glasses. When we were almost through, I asked for some ice, and was told that we apparently had been drinking water from a pitcher that had been "sitting around for awhile" (and had melted). Room temperature water is delightful. Oh goody. Mom had some version of a dinner platter with steak and ribs. It didn't look very appetizing, but this isn't the place I would have ordered ribs, and I don't like them anyway. I ordered a patty melt and fries, thinking that ordering a diner standard would be a good gauge of their food. While there were a lot of fries, the sandwich was just, meh. Not very flavorful, not piping hot, and the fries were plentiful, but bland. But, they were better than some places who attempt to make "home made" fries. After the dinner, I wasn't real keen on going back again, but I had more left on the gift card, so I went for breakfast this morning. I ordered a "volcano" which was 2 eggs, 2 sausage, 2 bacon, and 3 pancakes. It's hard to screw up scrambled eggs, and the bacon was good, but the pancakes were very dense, kind of doughy. There was only a little paper cup thing of butter and one plastic ramekin of syrup, which wasn't enough. I like pancakes to be thin, steaming hot, and fold-able. These were none of those. It just wan't good. I told the waitress that I wasn't all that impressed, when she asked about my uneaten food. It just isn't my style- I'd rather have a breakfast burrito from Sonic, or an Egg McMuffin. But for the occasional sit-down breakfast, I think Denny's does a much better job. The menu, decor, food and service just seemed old and tired. Even though the food was free (on my gift card), it wasn't a treat.
(2)
Kathy S.
First of all let me say that I believe the reason this place is popular but has negative reviews is that their clientele are definitely not yelpers. You will see my point when you go. And please do go, at least for breakfast. Perfectly cooked bacon, eggs and sausages. The sweet cream pancakes, temporarily derailed my locarb diet but no one says you have to eat them all. Just a few tastes satisfied me. Lunch looked good from what I saw on other tables too. Big portions. Don't think this would be my choice for dinner though from looking at the menu. Staff was friendly, food was hot and quickly served. I'd go again for breakfast.
(4)
Charles F.
We have been to this location several times and it is always the same HUGE portions with no seasoning and flavor. It is always busy and seems to cater to the type of people who don't really care or know that there is a difference between frozen chicken fried steak and freshly made. This was our last visit. Nothing against the staff and team but when looking for an adventure of flavor it's not here.
(2)
Gary D.
Great breakfast. The wife and I had the steak and eggs special. Was a sirloin steak, perfectly cooked rare. Food tasted great, reasonable price and great service. I have never had a bad Black Bear breakfast. We will go back for more!
(4)
B L.
Still have yet to have a good experience here and don't know why I bother to keep going back. We decided to check this place out when it first opened, and everyone working there was a mess, but the food was OK. There were a experienced servers who knew what they were doing but would neglect their own tables in an effort make order out of the chaos. Over the course of six months or so, my husband and I ate there three times. Each time we were seated promptly but more or less ignored after that. Orders took forever, there was always something wrong with our food, drinks were never filled, and bills took forever to come. We begrudgingly went back today on the insistence of visiting friends, and I can safely say that nothing has improved. Service is slow and inattentive, and I get the distinct impression that most of the folks working there have never worked in a restaurant before. We were seated quickly, our drink order was taken quickly, but we didn't get our drinks for some time. They were rarely filled. I ordered a sandwich that was supposed to have bbq sauce on it that came out completely dry, my husband's burger was overcooked, and the pancakes our friends ordered were cold. The portions are huge, but what good is that when the food's no good? Definitely won't be going back anymore. I'll stick to local places where the food is better and cheaper and the waitresses have their heads on straight.
(1)
Ken M.
Tastes like grandmas house. My kids love this place. Each meal can really feed 2 people.
(4)
Megs H.
Wow... the bad reviews are surprising! Frankly, they had me at "fuzzy bear photo on the wall"... stupid adorable! I really loved my fresh fruit, and ingredients in my omelette. The service was super friendly and attentive, and the restaurant was clean. It was later in the evening, so maybe we just got there at the right time for good food and service? Potatoes are a bit undercooked, and toast was a tiny bit dry/hard/burned but... overall it was awesome. Great place, I'm excited to try more items from the menu!
(4)
Carolyn D.
I think all these negative reviews are so weird ! This place is great . The decor is cute and fun . The portions are huge moderately priced for the quantity and my choices have all tasted good . I have had steak and eggs , pancakes and a club sandwich . The service has always been fine although on one visit we did have a barely around had to wait for a refill kinda server . They also always have breakfast special that brings a 10.00 breakfast down to a 7.99 breakfast . Can't beat it . We really like it
(5)
Courtney F.
Ordered food to go. For a place that boasts quantity, this clearly doesn't apply when it comes to to-go orders. Small, soggy portion of chicken fried steak along with corned beef hash that had about three small, soggy pieces of potato. Ordered a side of bacon that we did not receive. For $30 this was a Bummer.
(2)
Chance H.
Really enjoyed our meal! Great service, good flavor and very family friendly. I haven't been this thrilled with a restaurant in some time. We will be going back soon.
(4)
Lindsay W.
After reading the reviews here, I was skeptical about whether I'd get food, whether it would be edible, and whether I'd get anything to drink. I decided to give it a shot anyway, since really, all I wanted was a burger. The restaurant wasn't terribly busy at 6:00 on a Saturday evening, and I was sat immediately. I sat in the back corner of the restaurant, and the servers still managed to find me quickly. Service was friendly and in good time. I ordered the cheddar and chopped bacon burger, one of their premium burgers. It was quite good - burger cooked well, bacon and cheddar were tasty, good veggies for toppings. The fries were fries. Better than Denny's, not as good as Boise Fry Company. Overall, a perfectly cromulent place to eat, at least for the things I got. I would imagine a lot of their comfort foods are frozen and reheated, but I would bet on their breakfast and sandwiches being just fine.
(3)
Traci O.
Great food, crappy service. Wide variety. Big portions. Good taste. The service, however is lacking, big time. Borderline rude. Felt rushed the entire time, like they didn't want us here. After being seated and asked two times if we were ready to order, we explained that this was our first time here and needed a few more minutes to decide. After this, I think our waitress walked to the front and then immediately back to see if we were ready. Not more than 5 minutes after receiving our meal, she was back again and asked how everything was and then gave us our ticket. Really? We had just barely started eating. I guess we won't be ordering any dessert. Maybe two minutes after that she's back again asking if we need to go boxes. Wtf!??? After two bites, I'm still eating lady. This was a Saturday at 3:00pm. The place was hardly busy. Not certain if we'll be back. At least not at this location.
(1)
Kristin W.
Really great food and wonderful service from Jill! Love that they have toys for the kiddos to play with!
(5)
Fatima A.
Asked the server for a recommendation on the "fit and focused" section and she said she liked the chicken, apple and sausage scramble. It sounded delicious so I took a chance. It came out looking like vomit on a plate. The taste was bland, and the sight made me feel gag-y. I had to stop eating after a few bites because I thought I'd toss my cookies. I couldn't even finish the toast because half of it was soggy from the nasty liquid concoction floating on the plate. When I told the cashier about the off-putting breakfast (in a very nice manner), she looked annoyed and it reminded me why I don't complain at restaurants anymore. She told me to tell the server next time so they can get me something else - never offering up any sympathy, an apology, or anything. I'll just stick to another way of showing my dislike of the food - never returning again.
(1)
john h.
Literally. Had to stand up and put my empty glass in the air to get attention was not busy at all, food value sucked, kids meal sucked. Im guessing the good reviews are by friends and family of the staff. Wake up you deserve better
(2)
Peggie S.
Third time going there in 3 months. Food comes out cold or overcooked. Wait staff lacks management. Took over 10 min for my waiter to take my drink order today and 45 min for my food order at 2pm on a Friday afternoon. Not a happy camper!!
(1)
Walt H.
I am amazed to read so many reviews from people who have gone back more than once to this sorry excuse for a diner. If you are just too tired or lazy to thaw out a frozen dinner (which would be immeasurably better), and a Denny's or McDonald's isn't closer, than you might have an excuse for eating the food that is obviously cooked at their central warehouse and shipped here to be warmed up, but don't expect anything more. How establishments (I won't even call it a restaurant) stay in business is a mystery I will never understand. If eating here is your only option, you may want to consider this the day to start a diet and skip a meal.
(1)
Mike C.
No matter how are I try, I just cannot like this place. The nicest thing I can say is they give you a lot of food for your money. When the food is done right it is on par with Denneys (good but not great). The problem is it is not often done right. For example, my omelet was good but the country potatoes were a different story. Although the potatoes were cooked, most of the red onion was raw (as in not even warm). My sour dough toast looked like it had been placed next to.the toaster (warm but not toasted) and the knife they used to butter the toast must have at one point had butter on it but not when.it .was.used on my bread. (Yes I got served warm dry bread.) If you are lucky enough to sit by the back register, then you can listen to the staff grumble about each other. Overall not a good place for breakfast. Maybe they do lunch better.
(2)
Mary A.
We decided to have a late lunch/early dinner here after spending time at the Edwards Theater. It was convenient and a neighbor had recommended this place. We were in the mood for some comfort food so decided to try it. The hostess seated us and told us right away that the portions were huge but there were options for a smaller meal. The server was very courteous and helpful and presented us with huge mugs of coffee and water. The coffee was a good strong brew that we like and was refilled many times! My husband ordered pot roast and I opted for a patty melt. Even ordering a smaller portion, my husband's pot roast was huge. It was covered in dark gravy and he said the roast was fatty and couldn't finish it. My patty melt was good and cooked medium well. It was served with a mountain of fries in which I couldn't even make a dent there were so many. I didn't finish them. Cobbler was recommended as dessert and we split a cherry one with vanilla ice cream. It was served in a foil pie plate topped with a crust. The cherry filling was a canned variety and the crust was tough and chewy. Cobblers that I've had usually have a biscuit dough crust. Other diners around us were having breakfast as they serve breakfast 24 hours and what they were eating looked good. That might be a better meal to order here. Another few complaints I had were of the housekeeping issues. When we approached our table I noticed that the carpet under the table had food scraps on it. Also the ladies room was unclean and had an unpleasant odor. Obviously a lot of people eat here and maybe it's hard for the staff to keep up with keeping things orderly and clean. But it's important. I probably wouldn't come back here.
(2)
Marty M.
I visited late Saturday morning and when I saw how crowded the diner was, I expected my lunch would take forever to come out of the kitchen. I had the "Gobbler" sandwich which was loaded with roasted turkey breast, avocado, tomato, mayonnaise & cranberry sauce on white toast. I also had a cup of some of the best beef veggie soup I have ever tasted. Well, more beef than veggies, but it was obviously made fresh and was really seasoned nicely. My wife had the Classic Cheeseburger basket with a huge portion of typical restaurant fries. She ordered the burger "medium" and it arrived closer to medium well but since it was nice and juicy, she said it was good. Our waitress, Pam, made us feel welcome, got our drinks out immediately, and though she was very busy, she spent the perfect amount of time taking care of her tables and we got our food within 10 minutes. This kind of service has been the norm most every visit and makes this the kind of place I enjoy returning to.
(4)
Phillip D.
Chicken Fried steak was a disaster. No flavor with the exception of some pretty good gravy. No crispy batter like it should have. Just a flat breading. It was a poor attempt by Northerners to make a Southern classic. My wife had the hamburger. It was dry and tasteless. About on par with McDonalds. My daughter had the tri-tip. Also dry and tasteless The only good things were the waitresses and the strawberry malt. We wont be back.
(1)
Bonnie T.
We have gone to this restaurant many times, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and have never had a bad meal there! It has a fun and relaxed atmosphere and the service has always been great! Yes, the portions are large, which they tell you in advance, but I never mind bringing home leftovers. It is a good value and I highly recommend it!
(5)
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Address :1731 S Entertainment Avenue
Boise, ID, 83709
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : 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 : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Steve C.
Stopped over enroute to Vegas, ordered their special, " Steak & shrimp", beside the price was great, food met expectation with huge portion, couldn't finish the potato and veggie on the plate. Service was consistent and showed excellence in team work regardless table assignment. Noticed manager on duty was helpful & pleasant. Will definitely come back next time when we travel in this area. .
(5)Susan R.
I have to up my stars from three to four after tasting the food. It's very good. Never mind, back down to three stars!! The restaurant does not look dirty, it's pretty brightly lit with rich tones throughout. However it's the lack of cleanliness that is most of my issue. As I started this review, my waitress (Rochelle, totally nice but called me "sweetie" and "honey" throughout. Please don't!!!) and another waitress ("the blonde") were rolling silverware. The blonde started hacking, not even kidding, into her hand and in the general direction of "away from the silverware". Open mouth hack and cough, generally with her head turned but not completely away from the silverware. I appreciate that effort but. Not. Good. Enough. My issue? Turned back around and continued to roll the silverware. Yuck. I will never return based on that alone. The other pieces of not clean were the menu, a well used newspaper with a food stain on it. That should have been my first clue, huh? I watched the cook throw my garnish (orange and lettuce) onto my plate with his bare hands. I had to reassure myself that he probably washes his hands, but I have no clue if he does or not. I usually eat the orange, this time I did not. I unrolled my silverware when my food was coming to find food crumbs tightly wrapped into the napkin. The silverware itself had fingerprints. And now I'm gonna stop because that's enough of cleanliness issues. Cleanliness rating: 1.5 stars The food was very good except by this time, I'm so turned off by the coughing, the cooks bare hands, and dirty silverware that I almost left. I didn't. Let me say the homemade sausage was phenomenal and hot. The bacon is nothing special but cooked very well. I ordered my eggs over medium-well and the cook did a stellar job. He's a very good cook, for sure! The fruit was sufficient but not fresh. It was good, I ate most of it. Potatoes were good, but not done enough for my taste. Not their fault, I just like my potatoes crispy and they were not. Food rating: 4 stars. My waitress, Rochelle, did a fine job, she's a hard worker and I tipped her well. Waitress rating: 4 stars except the sweetie and honey.
(3)John F.
Great food! Great fun! Great server! Jill was the best. She was quick to fix our order. Kept the iced tea flowing! The size of the plates are scary if your not very hungry. Bring the apatite!
(5)Junior E.
Wow talk about a place that feeds a person with a huge appetite, but also allowing you to enjoy soccer in their nice flat screen. Be aware portions are huge and pretty tasty and coffee comes out steaming hot!! I got to order the their special 6 egg omelette with a variety of meats and veggies. It also came with biscuit n gravy and a huge side of country side potatoes for only $12.99. I was able to eat half of the omelette and some potatoes, and was put into a food comma. We're giving this place a 3.5 rating!! Will be back to try their pancakes.
(3)Dave H.
I thought the food was great and Jill was an amazing waitress
(4)Keith K.
Melissa was excellent! Service was prompt and friendly. Never had to ask for refills and made us look forward to coming back again soon. Just wonderful. Oh, the food was good too.
(4)Randy M.
20 minute wait to get in no problem as busy is a sign of good food. Problem was service. Waitress took order and someone in our party ordered a Bear Claw. 45 minutes later the bear claw arrived. Waitress came by once to refill coffee. Another 15 minutes goes by and she stops by once more and says, "folks I'll check on your order. It seems like it's taking a while." You think?! Within 45 seconds our order magically appears. Mind you most of it was stuff that could have just been plated oh, I don't know 35 minutes earlier!!! Last chance for the BBD!
(1)Jim G.
I have really tried to like this place. But it's a hit and miss kinda place. Just like the one in Sacramento, California. I ordered the " Volcano " .... Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage. Sounds good huh ? Kinda of, sort off.......... I got two very underdone fried eggs, Luke warm bacon and the kind of nice fat sausage that after it cools down it shrivels up like how your toes look after being in water too long. Pancakes were great. Nice and hot and tasty. Sent the whole plate back. Finally I get my plate and again the pancakes were great. But !!!! the bacon was cooked fine in the middle but the ends were raw. The sausages was good this time. The eggs came again under cooked like the first time. I sent it away and decided not to eat anything. The manager came over and after a thousand apologies he finally talked me into taking home a free pie. I guess he thought that would make things all better............. NOT !!!! Today was not my day....... read what happen at the Outback in Boise.
(2)Chris H.
Its like a step up from IHOP / Denny's or this type of food and price point. Servers have always been good or great. Large plates of food if you want some comfort breakfast. Coffee taste awful but that is on par for any diner.
(4)kathy W.
Great food and prices. staff is very attentive and nice!
(5)Kim P.
Disappointed we had someone do that big steak, and all the food got cold while they prepared the steak. Cheese was hard again by the time I got my omelette. Nothing was hot or warm except the steak which was over cooked. Place was packed and I have no clue why? Cold food and bad slow service... Hate cold food and bad service then ur expected to tip...grrr it was suppose to be a nice breakfast with someone from out of town and it sucked at the black bear diner bc they don't know how to time food for quality and they act like chickens with their heads cut off. Slow ur roll ppl. Take a breath an d think ...do ppl like cold food? Better remake that bc it sat too long...manager sucks not to tell staff that. Totally wasted $60 there.
(2)Mark K.
Well first review on yelp is going to be a negative review. Went to Black Bear this afternoon and absolutely was under-impressed. I ordered the (and this is copied from their menu): B.L.A.S.T.* - Three layers of Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Swiss cheese, Tomato & Mayonnaise. Imagine my surprise when I received 3 pieces of "Wonder" style bread cut into three pieces. Two pieces of bacon, a sad piece of lettuce, two tomatoes, a quarter avocado, and a single slim piece of cheese. Are you kidding me?!? I paid $10 for something I could make at home for less than $2. And where is the "3 layers of Bacon" as the menu says? This is a major snafu in ethical marketing. Tell me it is 3 pieces of dry bread instead of "3 layers of bacon" - it was the bacon that compelled my purchasing decision. The ONLY reason they get two stars is because their garlic fries were good. I will not recommend going here.
(2)Kapono L.
Iv been here a few times and the service has always been great. They get busy on sundays so be prepared to wait a little longer for your meal. I think for the price and portions you get (which are very large) they are very resonable. Iv really only gotten breakfast here and lunch on occasion, but iv never had a bad meal here and iv NEVER left here hungry! If your hungry and want great service... Give em a try!
(4)Josh K.
me and my family been to black bear several times really enjoy the atmosphere and the food was good. we have a 1 year old son who has milk sensitivity the wait staff did go out of there way to help us avoid milk products.
(4)Mick P.
Absolute filth, never had a worse meal. Imagine making eggs benedict but substituting the hollandaise with the oil weeping out of molten processed cheese. I felt sick, would rather lick the sidewalk, seriously - that bad. Management obviously does not eat there or they would know. The worse food in Boise.
(1)Molly P.
The biscuits are homemade, also their desserts. Very reasonable prices and large portions. The menu is large and they serve all meals at all times. The service was good. Overall a nice place.
(3)Robyn L.
We like to come here for breakfast or lunch on Sundays. The food is good, but the service can be inconsistent at times. The wait staff is nice, but thirty minutes is a long time to wait after ordering. I'm hoping they'll have more staff during the Sunday rush so we can keep going back!
(3)Nicole D.
I had an avocado and mushroom egg white omelet and cut hashbrowns. There was zero flavor and the avocado gave the omelet a funky texture. Two people had the roast beef sandwiches which they thought were just fine. Another person had the Asian chicken salad which she had during another visit but was not happy with the second go-around. The service was absolutely retched. It was busy yes, but we were completely ignored the entire table service. The waiter would disappear after you asked him for a side of salsa, extra this or more of that. At one point we begged the hostess who just happened to be walking by to help us, which she did and were thankful. Black Bear Diner would also be wise to brush up on their "gluten free menu"...I put it in quotes because it is a joke. One salad is labeled gluten free along with one dressing, the rest I was told was "probably not" gluten free...huh? The server just kind of gave me a blank stare when I inquired.
(3)Rachel Z.
Cute cabin ambiance! Scrambled eggs yuck overdone and not tasty! Husbands order came back wrong. Pretty nice staff and good service except for the major lack of coffee refills and other things that I'm too lazy to write about! Will go back to try lunch! Oh and the French toast was off idk if it was the bread, syrup, or butter ... Tasted mass produced or something!
(2)Eric J.
Went here a few weeks back for sunday lunch and really enjoyed it! My girlfriend and I both had breakfast food and it was VERY good. The portions are very big and prepared fresh. We also took home a coconut cream pie that was really good as well. When we dont want to mess with going downtown Boise this is our breakfast spot for sure!
(4)Jeremy P.
It's hard to beat Black Bear Diners breakfast! Always excellent!! Great food, Great service!
(5)Pink T.
The food was DELICIOUS and the service was great. The portion sizes are large. I had the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. Very good!
(4)Bill P.
I live in Seattle, my daughter lives in Boise. So when we came to visit her, she insisted on taking us here. We weren't sorry. There was no wait time, the staff was courteous and professional as well as pleasant. The one thing that stands out most in this restaurant is VALUE. The portions are huge, and the prices are reasonable. I had a problem with my order, and they handled it extremely well, and gave me a complimentary dessert to boot. I get to Boise a lot, and I'm definitely going to remember this place. Outstanding!
(5)Clark M.
We were looking for someplace new to eat, so we decided to try the Black Bear Diner. Big Mistake. I ordered a turkey sandwich. Don't know what that red, processed stuff was on my sandwich, but it didn't resemble turkey. Completely inedible. My wife ordered an omelet. Can't say it tasted bad, because it really didn't have much taste at all. Don't make the mistake we did by going here. Goodwood is just down the street, and they serve a good meal.
(1)Tamara N.
We decided to give this place a try, even though we rarely go out to eat where we don't have coupons, or special deals. We were very pleased, The food was very good, and our server was very personable, and attentive. Hubby likes to have his drinks refilled very often, and he was not disappointed. Our server's name was Zack, and we would highly recommend sitting in his section. Also, even though it is $6, go for the blackberry cobbler. There is plenty for sharing, and it is delicious, especially if paired with the huckleberry ice cream!
(5)Tina P.
OK, I'll start with saying that the food was great! The cooks here know what they're doing for sure. Thank you for that! That's the only reason I went back a second time. My boyfriend and sister took me here for my birthday breakfast (ended up being around 1pm). The service was like none I've ever experienced. We sat for 45 minute with empty coffee mugs, our server was only concerned with making sure all the placemats and utensils were perfectly aligned on all of the other tables (strange because my sister had to to get a placemat and utensils from another table since he didn't give her one), he didn't ask us once how our food was, we were basically ignored by our server the entire time AND our dirty plates sat in front of us until the moment we got up from the table. I could partly understand if the place was busy but it looked like we were the only table the server had. So needless to say this wasn't the best birthday breakfast I've ever had. I was so excited for this restaurant to come into town. Sorry it turned ut to be such a disappointment. I was willing to give them a second chance (which this was) but am really thinking a third won't be an option.
(2)David B.
Ask for French toast no milk because I'm allergic to it and the waiter was like what do you mean let me go get the manger de dee dee and after all that I still got really sick. This place is not really for any one to eat at. Also he never filled my coffee I had to ask the manger lol never coming back
(1)Nora P.
Along with everyone else.. we were eager to give this place a try.. Went yesterday- a monday 8/6 around 2 PM figuring we'd miss the crowd.. The menu is MASSIVE... Portion size must be as well.. since the wait staff proudly acknowledges that there is a "smaller size" breakfast,lunch and dinner menu in the midst of this giant menu. I have a problem with a waitstaff that is either trained or has developed a less than professional.. in your face.. too friendly manner... Either drippy fake sweet, or kneeling at your table.. Just be professional and efficient.. that's all I ask. I asked what the soup of the day was.. and was told homemade turkey noodle.. Sounded good.. but wasn't so good.. Of course if you are starting with turkey loaf rather than real turkey.. it's hard to develop a flavor to your broth.. and the one inch cubes of pesudo meat really overwhelmed my cup of soup...Basic burger and mountain of fries that my husband had.. were adequate.. Can't say that there is any reason that I'd return again....
(3)Elaine S.
This is my second time at Black Bear Diner. Me and family always have a great experience here. This time I took some pictures so I decided to review this place. The waiting line was not long, even though we were there at pretty peak time in the morning. We got seated right away. I love the decor and all details they put into it like customized paintings,bottle sauces and some souvenirs at the front. I ordered Acapulco Scramble(Fit and Light), it says the meal is under 500 cals. It has egg whites, diced chicken, a bit of cheese,green chilles and serves with whole wheat toast and fresh fruit. I requested jalapeno in my scramble just to give a kick, I am glad I did it. People don't get used to egg whites would not enjoy as much, but if you like spicy, asked for jalapeños in it. I enjoyed my food and cleaned it up well. For the fruit bowl, it was a bit warm. I think they prep in bowls in large amount so it's easy just to take it to guests. I wish they keep it in the fridge though. My fiancé ordered a Volcano: 3 stacks of blueberry pancakes with sausages and bacon slices. Blueberry pancake was yummy! It is already sweet without the syrup so if you watch what you eat, hold the syrup a bit. The sausages were so yummy, but bacon slices were okay. I feel our server was in a rush, they were not very friendly but they were not bad. Though they keep my coffee cup full and she offered more sauces and salsa. One thing I love about this place is, they have a large selection of food. They are not like regular breakfast chains that just serve regular menu. A huge plus for "Little Less" menu and "Fit and Fresh" menu. I eat clean and these options are wonderful. I would definitely come back and try other stuff!
(4)Kim P.
I love this place. The atmosphere is great and so is the service. You ALWAYS get your money's worth because the portion sizes are extra large.
(5)Steve S.
First thing you will notice is the decor which leads you to check google maps and see if you are in McCall or Boise. This was my first stop for picking up lunch orders for my team of co-workers, while I did not stay for a dining experience the place looked pretty full. Pick up was fairly quick and timely also the price of this place is not bad at all for the amount of food that you get. So what was on the menu? Buscuits and gravy of course! I am a connoisseur when it comes to this dish, I am quick to test every breakfast place by their buscuits and gravy. Being a cook who loves to make this dish I understand what technique make outstanding B&G, the most important thing is the Buscuits. Overall my dish was nothing special, what kept it from being outstanding was the texture of the buscuits. They were very doughy and heavy, great buscuits are aerated in the whipping process to make them light and fluffy. The gravy had okay flavor and used chunks of sausage which shows that it is fresh. The gravy they use could benefit from a seasoning fix as the gravy is rather thick like a paste instead of a creamy gravy. For a super creamy gravy always cut open your buscuit and lay your over easy egg down, next cover with gravy and cut through the yolk will mix with the gravy adding a creamier richness to every bite. If your looking for breakfast on a dime where quantity is King, this place is worth a visit but it's not for those who want quality. (Better than you can cook at home)
(3)John D.
I see that Yelpers have generally panned this place. Yes, the decor is cheesy, and the board of early dinner specials from 2 to 6 makes it appear that they have the senior citizen market dialed in. But they make a damn fine breakfast. The pancakes are fluffy with a hint of vanilla. The eggs are cooked to order. The portions are generous, and the service is friendly. If you can get beyond the kitschy decor, your most important meal of the day can be a good one.
(4)Rebecca W.
I give this a solid 4 stars because of the great customer service and great food. This isn't exactly my favorite type of restaurant to go to just for personal preference but if I am in the mood for some down-home comfort food I would definitely go back. Our waitress and the other staff were extra nice and friendly and helpful. Our waitress said their hand breaded chicken parmasean was one of her favorites and it did not disappoint! Huuuge portions so beware! The crowd was a lot of older folks when we went. Overall, I really enjoyed our experience there!
(4)Jeremy L.
I have no idea why this has such low ratings. I believe it is best place for for your money. Our waiter was fast, efficent, always checked on us ,food was delicious and a lot of it I would recommend this place. I also will return and return again. best place
(5)Lauren F.
I am a picky eater so at most restaurants I usually find my food on the children's menu. But when I asked for a kids menu here, the waitress outright refused to give me one. The waitress told me there was no way I could order off the kids menu because I am over 12 years old. She said I could order smaller portions off the normal menu, even though I explained to her that was not what I was looking for. Luckily she did say they serve breakfast all day, and I happen to like most breakfast foods. So reluctantly I went with my staple, french toast. When my food came it was cold and super soggy. I struggled to down even one slice. I knew I should have just ordered a pop and no food. I only came here to support a little band and maybe get a meal. Not only was the waitress unusually stubborn with me, but she was rude to the band. She was always yelling "jokes" at them and interrupting them. I came for music, not her stand up routine. Bad service, bad food, I won't be coming back here because apparently this customer is always wrong.
(1)Ivan N.
Food was alright... Average I would say but good serving sizes. But Kayla Kayla provided great service so it evened out!
(3)Kelly K.
This is a cliché, franchised diner for America. The food is all mass produced, shipped from far away, and bland. If you go in there, knowing all this, you'll be happy. I cook, from scratch, a lot. So, I have high expectations I guess. It's difficult to mess eggs up, and they do a good job. These are bland, mass produced eggs. If you've ever had local eggs, you know there is a difference in taste, especially in the yolk. What can I say; I'm spoiled by living near Portland, Oregon. We entered this establishment to have a last meal with family before heading home. They made the choice on locale. Every age was represented in the diner. Thirty percent of the clientele were over long lived, the rest were families with youngsters, for the most part. Many ate wearing their good, sleeveless shirt under a pair of battered overalls. There were seventy inch screens in the back room, which looks like it may be separated with glass doors. The décor is very, very bear. Everywhere you look there are bears, bear photos, bear posters, bear carvings, metal bear coat hooks...you get the bear picture. The wait staff is quick and friendly. The food servings are plentiful. Several of us ordered egg dishes. There were omelets, eggs and pancakes, and eggs with chicken fried steak on the table. A cinnamon roll French toast was ordered, with a warning served that the dish was super sweet and many people have a hard time finishing it. Another ordered a salad. The chicken fried steak looked well made, and was crisp and a good serving size. The eggs were all made to order. The sausage was well seasoned. The bacon was on the thick side. If you like your bacon thicker and chewy, it's great. If you like your bacon thinner and crispy, not so great. The hash browns on all six plates, who ordered something with hash browns, were burned on one side and raw on the other. They clearly need to teach the cook how to make hash browns. No one ordered the diced potatoes. They may be better. The omelets had real shredded cheese, not processed American junk. The waitress was very accommodating for the three who had gluten intolerance. She wrote down to convey the need for clean cooking surfaces and serving utensils. Unfortunately, she wasn't as accommodating as she could have been. They meals came out and she tried to just pass of a plate with a biscuit on it, saying they forgot and put a biscuit on it. I chalk this up to training, not her personally. She was informed that we needed a new plate, as having the bread on the plate created cross contamination. Once she understood, she made it right, and brought out a new plate. Those of us who ordered pancakes all agreed they are not a true pancake, so much as a carnival funnel cake, in a pancake shape. These were people who eat sugar laden foods every day. They all ended the meal without finishing their sugary pancakes. I will admit, they are described as sweet in the menu. I have to wonder though, if those were too sweet for all three who ordered them, what was the French toast like, which they felt required a stern warning about the sugar content? The company made for an enjoyable meal. The food was acceptable. However, for ten to thirteen dollars a plate, I'd like more than acceptable. We all agreed, for the quality, the price should have been twenty to thirty percent less.
(3)Leah M.
Ok, my in-law's (86 & 89) had heard from their friends this place was good! I truly was concerned as my husband was driving there, I reading reviews... By the time there, I opted for bkfst. Reviews were right, decor a bit cheesy in a "great-grandma decorating" kinda way AND breakfast was delicious. My half of an avocado was perfectly ripe on my bkfst scramble and the portion was really good size. My husband who thinks most stuff fried is pretty good (Chicken Fried Steak)..was very happy as well (uh, I thought ok, not really a fan of CFS but it wasn't greasy!). Our grown-ish daughter very happy with her Thanksgiving sandwich (huge!) & even better, my elderly inlaws COULD HEAR US talking (not the open, industrial type ceiling here) & they were thrilled with their food (Shrimp platter & the "Little Less" menu CFS with green beans which my mom-in-law loved). So, the kicker for me here. .I saw 3 OTHER tables all with 3 generations sitting enjoying a meal together. Several elderly couples etc. .definitely not upper scale dining or diners types at all. And that's OKAY! The wait staff isn't particularly professional and seemed to be "trained" to say "hun & sweetie" which kinda bugged me at first then I decided to lighten up and just enjoy the time. Since I'm much more the "foodie" than the bunch, I sat back & listened, didn't worry that my homemade biscuit (HUGE) tasted just a tad stale because everyone was very full & happy! There was still plenty to take home (including the bread pudding which wasn't the best or by far the worst we've had, but the sauce delicious & still good a day later!) I decided as we were leaving and my mom - in-law said...."well, honey, that was the most food I've seen in a long time for $10"...there ya go, if the mama happy, then the rest of us should be happy!
(4)Mandi S.
We've been coming for awhile now. We love the regulars. Serve and food is great. Huge portions. We have our favorites. The rib dinner is amazing. I always do sauce on the side. Taco salad is enough to feed a small army. The owners are very nice and friendly people.
(4)Edwin S.
I am a fan of black bear dinner, but this specific restaurant has some issues. The wait staff is not trained well. We have gone multiple times and did not have a good experience. The food is OK at this one and the portions are good. We haven't gone back after the visits.
(2)Missy B.
We've driven by the Black Bear Diner many times and always noticed the full parking lot. Figuring that was the sure sign of a winning restaurant, we decided to try it on a Friday night. Our visit followed the trend--the place was packed. We arrived a few minutes before five o'clock, and were seated right away, but within 30 minutes, the entire restaurant was full with a large number of people waiting for a table. Considering our experience, we find this baffling. Don't get me wrong, the food and service were acceptable, okay even, but certainly nothing to wait in line for, and probably not enough to convince us to return for a second visit. The portions were huge (HUGE). One person at our table ordered the Reuben sandwich, and they must have put 6 cups of french fries on the plate. Unfortunately, they were typical frozen fries, a slight notch below good fast-food fries, and he didn't come close to finishing them. I had the chicken fried steak, which was also huge, but it was very run-of-the-mill. It is not hand-made in the restaurant and tastes like any other industrial, frozen, mass-produced chicken fried steak smothered in gravy made from powdered mix. The mashed potatoes were real, not instant, but lacked seasoning. It was the kind of meal you can find in any Denny's around the country, but Black Bear Diner charges 35% more. The kid's pizza, like all the other meals, was huge, but consisted of a very puffy crust, a smear of tomato sauce, and probably no more than a tablespoon of cheese. The waitress actually drew our attention to this as she served it and offered two or three times to bring us some more cheese for it (though I don't know how yummy cold, grated cheese sprinkled on pizza would be). The kids at our table didn't complain, though and seemed to like it. The waitress was very nice, but a little scattered. This may be because of how busy they were (again, we don't understand it). We had to ask for silverware several times and she kept going to get refills only to get distracted and forget. I'd rate her three stars. In summary, this place does a business, but based on the food WE tasted, we're not sure why. We found it overpriced with mediocre food. Sadly, our search for perfect diner-style fare will have to continue at another establishment....
(2)Joe C.
Cold, too many condiments on the California burger. The burger was much smaller than on previous visits. Stingy with the onion rings. Will Not be back.
(1)Keith A.
First impressions: Alright, I did not read the reviews until I sat down. I am now worried about my food. First off, the clientele is most Definatly not into yelping. I am 43 and I may be the youngest person here, by a considerable margin. Outside is inviting, who doesn't want to eat at a place that has huge wooden bears. The carpet reminds me of the old Dees diners, mashed and nasty. My table slants horribly and I fear my food may just slide off. Service: We were seated promptly, she took iur order quickly, but has not stopped by to fill our drinks in the last 10 mins since we ordered. Additionally, my wife's water tastes like lemon from the dishwasher (note, there is no lemon in her glass). While waiting for our food, the kitchen peeps yelled food up, but then had to go find a server.. Hopefully that isn't our food. Food : The food was.... Large. What the food lacked in quality, they tried to make up for I quantity. I didn't even eat a quarter of my food. Bottom line, if you are an octogenarian looking for love, this place might be up your ally. For everyone else, I would go to Chili's or McDonald's.
(1)Dave W.
Some friends gave me a generous amount on a gift card, and they rave about this place. My mom and I went for dinner, and when we walked in, I was overwhelmed by some throbbing Juke Box in the entrance that just thumped. It was the bass line to some song, but was entirely bass. Just annoying. We only had water to drink, and I thought it odd that there was no ice in the glass. I thought that was perhaps because I hadn't ordered "ice water" since people at nearby tables had ice in their glasses. When we were almost through, I asked for some ice, and was told that we apparently had been drinking water from a pitcher that had been "sitting around for awhile" (and had melted). Room temperature water is delightful. Oh goody. Mom had some version of a dinner platter with steak and ribs. It didn't look very appetizing, but this isn't the place I would have ordered ribs, and I don't like them anyway. I ordered a patty melt and fries, thinking that ordering a diner standard would be a good gauge of their food. While there were a lot of fries, the sandwich was just, meh. Not very flavorful, not piping hot, and the fries were plentiful, but bland. But, they were better than some places who attempt to make "home made" fries. After the dinner, I wasn't real keen on going back again, but I had more left on the gift card, so I went for breakfast this morning. I ordered a "volcano" which was 2 eggs, 2 sausage, 2 bacon, and 3 pancakes. It's hard to screw up scrambled eggs, and the bacon was good, but the pancakes were very dense, kind of doughy. There was only a little paper cup thing of butter and one plastic ramekin of syrup, which wasn't enough. I like pancakes to be thin, steaming hot, and fold-able. These were none of those. It just wan't good. I told the waitress that I wasn't all that impressed, when she asked about my uneaten food. It just isn't my style- I'd rather have a breakfast burrito from Sonic, or an Egg McMuffin. But for the occasional sit-down breakfast, I think Denny's does a much better job. The menu, decor, food and service just seemed old and tired. Even though the food was free (on my gift card), it wasn't a treat.
(2)Kathy S.
First of all let me say that I believe the reason this place is popular but has negative reviews is that their clientele are definitely not yelpers. You will see my point when you go. And please do go, at least for breakfast. Perfectly cooked bacon, eggs and sausages. The sweet cream pancakes, temporarily derailed my locarb diet but no one says you have to eat them all. Just a few tastes satisfied me. Lunch looked good from what I saw on other tables too. Big portions. Don't think this would be my choice for dinner though from looking at the menu. Staff was friendly, food was hot and quickly served. I'd go again for breakfast.
(4)Charles F.
We have been to this location several times and it is always the same HUGE portions with no seasoning and flavor. It is always busy and seems to cater to the type of people who don't really care or know that there is a difference between frozen chicken fried steak and freshly made. This was our last visit. Nothing against the staff and team but when looking for an adventure of flavor it's not here.
(2)Gary D.
Great breakfast. The wife and I had the steak and eggs special. Was a sirloin steak, perfectly cooked rare. Food tasted great, reasonable price and great service. I have never had a bad Black Bear breakfast. We will go back for more!
(4)B L.
Still have yet to have a good experience here and don't know why I bother to keep going back. We decided to check this place out when it first opened, and everyone working there was a mess, but the food was OK. There were a experienced servers who knew what they were doing but would neglect their own tables in an effort make order out of the chaos. Over the course of six months or so, my husband and I ate there three times. Each time we were seated promptly but more or less ignored after that. Orders took forever, there was always something wrong with our food, drinks were never filled, and bills took forever to come. We begrudgingly went back today on the insistence of visiting friends, and I can safely say that nothing has improved. Service is slow and inattentive, and I get the distinct impression that most of the folks working there have never worked in a restaurant before. We were seated quickly, our drink order was taken quickly, but we didn't get our drinks for some time. They were rarely filled. I ordered a sandwich that was supposed to have bbq sauce on it that came out completely dry, my husband's burger was overcooked, and the pancakes our friends ordered were cold. The portions are huge, but what good is that when the food's no good? Definitely won't be going back anymore. I'll stick to local places where the food is better and cheaper and the waitresses have their heads on straight.
(1)Ken M.
Tastes like grandmas house. My kids love this place. Each meal can really feed 2 people.
(4)Megs H.
Wow... the bad reviews are surprising! Frankly, they had me at "fuzzy bear photo on the wall"... stupid adorable! I really loved my fresh fruit, and ingredients in my omelette. The service was super friendly and attentive, and the restaurant was clean. It was later in the evening, so maybe we just got there at the right time for good food and service? Potatoes are a bit undercooked, and toast was a tiny bit dry/hard/burned but... overall it was awesome. Great place, I'm excited to try more items from the menu!
(4)Carolyn D.
I think all these negative reviews are so weird ! This place is great . The decor is cute and fun . The portions are huge moderately priced for the quantity and my choices have all tasted good . I have had steak and eggs , pancakes and a club sandwich . The service has always been fine although on one visit we did have a barely around had to wait for a refill kinda server . They also always have breakfast special that brings a 10.00 breakfast down to a 7.99 breakfast . Can't beat it . We really like it
(5)Courtney F.
Ordered food to go. For a place that boasts quantity, this clearly doesn't apply when it comes to to-go orders. Small, soggy portion of chicken fried steak along with corned beef hash that had about three small, soggy pieces of potato. Ordered a side of bacon that we did not receive. For $30 this was a Bummer.
(2)Chance H.
Really enjoyed our meal! Great service, good flavor and very family friendly. I haven't been this thrilled with a restaurant in some time. We will be going back soon.
(4)Lindsay W.
After reading the reviews here, I was skeptical about whether I'd get food, whether it would be edible, and whether I'd get anything to drink. I decided to give it a shot anyway, since really, all I wanted was a burger. The restaurant wasn't terribly busy at 6:00 on a Saturday evening, and I was sat immediately. I sat in the back corner of the restaurant, and the servers still managed to find me quickly. Service was friendly and in good time. I ordered the cheddar and chopped bacon burger, one of their premium burgers. It was quite good - burger cooked well, bacon and cheddar were tasty, good veggies for toppings. The fries were fries. Better than Denny's, not as good as Boise Fry Company. Overall, a perfectly cromulent place to eat, at least for the things I got. I would imagine a lot of their comfort foods are frozen and reheated, but I would bet on their breakfast and sandwiches being just fine.
(3)Traci O.
Great food, crappy service. Wide variety. Big portions. Good taste. The service, however is lacking, big time. Borderline rude. Felt rushed the entire time, like they didn't want us here. After being seated and asked two times if we were ready to order, we explained that this was our first time here and needed a few more minutes to decide. After this, I think our waitress walked to the front and then immediately back to see if we were ready. Not more than 5 minutes after receiving our meal, she was back again and asked how everything was and then gave us our ticket. Really? We had just barely started eating. I guess we won't be ordering any dessert. Maybe two minutes after that she's back again asking if we need to go boxes. Wtf!??? After two bites, I'm still eating lady. This was a Saturday at 3:00pm. The place was hardly busy. Not certain if we'll be back. At least not at this location.
(1)Kristin W.
Really great food and wonderful service from Jill! Love that they have toys for the kiddos to play with!
(5)Fatima A.
Asked the server for a recommendation on the "fit and focused" section and she said she liked the chicken, apple and sausage scramble. It sounded delicious so I took a chance. It came out looking like vomit on a plate. The taste was bland, and the sight made me feel gag-y. I had to stop eating after a few bites because I thought I'd toss my cookies. I couldn't even finish the toast because half of it was soggy from the nasty liquid concoction floating on the plate. When I told the cashier about the off-putting breakfast (in a very nice manner), she looked annoyed and it reminded me why I don't complain at restaurants anymore. She told me to tell the server next time so they can get me something else - never offering up any sympathy, an apology, or anything. I'll just stick to another way of showing my dislike of the food - never returning again.
(1)john h.
Literally. Had to stand up and put my empty glass in the air to get attention was not busy at all, food value sucked, kids meal sucked. Im guessing the good reviews are by friends and family of the staff. Wake up you deserve better
(2)Peggie S.
Third time going there in 3 months. Food comes out cold or overcooked. Wait staff lacks management. Took over 10 min for my waiter to take my drink order today and 45 min for my food order at 2pm on a Friday afternoon. Not a happy camper!!
(1)Walt H.
I am amazed to read so many reviews from people who have gone back more than once to this sorry excuse for a diner. If you are just too tired or lazy to thaw out a frozen dinner (which would be immeasurably better), and a Denny's or McDonald's isn't closer, than you might have an excuse for eating the food that is obviously cooked at their central warehouse and shipped here to be warmed up, but don't expect anything more. How establishments (I won't even call it a restaurant) stay in business is a mystery I will never understand. If eating here is your only option, you may want to consider this the day to start a diet and skip a meal.
(1)Mike C.
No matter how are I try, I just cannot like this place. The nicest thing I can say is they give you a lot of food for your money. When the food is done right it is on par with Denneys (good but not great). The problem is it is not often done right. For example, my omelet was good but the country potatoes were a different story. Although the potatoes were cooked, most of the red onion was raw (as in not even warm). My sour dough toast looked like it had been placed next to.the toaster (warm but not toasted) and the knife they used to butter the toast must have at one point had butter on it but not when.it .was.used on my bread. (Yes I got served warm dry bread.) If you are lucky enough to sit by the back register, then you can listen to the staff grumble about each other. Overall not a good place for breakfast. Maybe they do lunch better.
(2)Mary A.
We decided to have a late lunch/early dinner here after spending time at the Edwards Theater. It was convenient and a neighbor had recommended this place. We were in the mood for some comfort food so decided to try it. The hostess seated us and told us right away that the portions were huge but there were options for a smaller meal. The server was very courteous and helpful and presented us with huge mugs of coffee and water. The coffee was a good strong brew that we like and was refilled many times! My husband ordered pot roast and I opted for a patty melt. Even ordering a smaller portion, my husband's pot roast was huge. It was covered in dark gravy and he said the roast was fatty and couldn't finish it. My patty melt was good and cooked medium well. It was served with a mountain of fries in which I couldn't even make a dent there were so many. I didn't finish them. Cobbler was recommended as dessert and we split a cherry one with vanilla ice cream. It was served in a foil pie plate topped with a crust. The cherry filling was a canned variety and the crust was tough and chewy. Cobblers that I've had usually have a biscuit dough crust. Other diners around us were having breakfast as they serve breakfast 24 hours and what they were eating looked good. That might be a better meal to order here. Another few complaints I had were of the housekeeping issues. When we approached our table I noticed that the carpet under the table had food scraps on it. Also the ladies room was unclean and had an unpleasant odor. Obviously a lot of people eat here and maybe it's hard for the staff to keep up with keeping things orderly and clean. But it's important. I probably wouldn't come back here.
(2)Marty M.
I visited late Saturday morning and when I saw how crowded the diner was, I expected my lunch would take forever to come out of the kitchen. I had the "Gobbler" sandwich which was loaded with roasted turkey breast, avocado, tomato, mayonnaise & cranberry sauce on white toast. I also had a cup of some of the best beef veggie soup I have ever tasted. Well, more beef than veggies, but it was obviously made fresh and was really seasoned nicely. My wife had the Classic Cheeseburger basket with a huge portion of typical restaurant fries. She ordered the burger "medium" and it arrived closer to medium well but since it was nice and juicy, she said it was good. Our waitress, Pam, made us feel welcome, got our drinks out immediately, and though she was very busy, she spent the perfect amount of time taking care of her tables and we got our food within 10 minutes. This kind of service has been the norm most every visit and makes this the kind of place I enjoy returning to.
(4)Phillip D.
Chicken Fried steak was a disaster. No flavor with the exception of some pretty good gravy. No crispy batter like it should have. Just a flat breading. It was a poor attempt by Northerners to make a Southern classic. My wife had the hamburger. It was dry and tasteless. About on par with McDonalds. My daughter had the tri-tip. Also dry and tasteless The only good things were the waitresses and the strawberry malt. We wont be back.
(1)Bonnie T.
We have gone to this restaurant many times, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and have never had a bad meal there! It has a fun and relaxed atmosphere and the service has always been great! Yes, the portions are large, which they tell you in advance, but I never mind bringing home leftovers. It is a good value and I highly recommend it!
(5)