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    Bear Claw Saloon

    4.3 (110 reviews)
    InexpensiveMusic Venues, Dive Bars
    Open 8:00 am - 1:30 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    Bear Claw Saloon Photos

    Business Info

    BEAR CLAW SALOON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Bear Claw Saloon

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    Reviews With Photos

    Rick one handed pool
    Steven H.

    Automatic 5 stars. Felt like family within 5 minutes of walking in. Rachel the bartender was so nice and working hard, so was Scott. Ton of locals and folks that have been going for decades, like Rick who chatted me up and we became friends while playing pool one handed One of my favorite saloons in SoCal, just overall fantastic vibe. One of the locals bought 4 pizzas and left, just doing that so everyone could eat. Like who does that? Thanks for making my first time a blast in Crestline

    This is the type of Service you will Receive at this dive bar . The violence is condonable.. The man in question was a senior citizen, patron the bartender Mario will engage you in conversation that is heated. They had a conversation about politics, and because the senior citizen was a Trumper the conversation went south very quickly. The bartender punched him in the face, and as you can, see by the post left by the bouncer that he decided to put the senior citizen to sleep after doing so he dragged him into the parking lot and left him there unconscious . I believe that this establishment has done great harm to our community I would be beware if you attend watch your back. Keep your eyes open and don't take your eyes off your drink.

    Great recommendation by Dawn for my beer too!   Wish I could remember what it was cuz it was YUM!
    Sharon R.

    My sister and I were up at Crestline celebrating our father for a few days. A friend of mine recommended another place down the road, but we were not well-received and ended up leaving. We ended up here at the Bear Claw, and sat down to a good time. A local bought us a fruity shot of some kind (thank you Scott!!)....Dawn, the bartender, was as cool as all get out. We had a great time and felt like we were part of the crew. It made me remember the days of when all of us friends would gather at the local watering hole every Friday night (and other nights when basketball was on!), and play pool. I almost felt like shouting NORM when one guy walked in the door! HA! Well done, Bear Claw, well done.

    Mr Security doing his job!
    Janeen B.

    We as a band have played this awesome friendly establishment on more than one occasion, We love it there and as always look forward to coming back, The Manager knows how to run a bar and she's always been accommodating to us, if you get a chance to go, definitely go you will have a blast, they usually always have something going on and bands every Saturday night!

    From Left to Right  Actor - Diego Garcia @awkwardappeal @diegovgarcia Tyler Massey ANDREW MAEVE Photographer - Christo Dimassis @christoworx
    Brad A.

    BEAR ATTACK! First time In Crestline I tried The Bear Claw The owners Oh man THE BEST Andrew & Maeve Who run The joint Got a Pool table Patio Yes! It's comfy Cozy Full Of love Inviting Flowing booze With Happy face This pubs The place Trust me You Cannot lose

    Oaxacan Old Fashioned, Smokey with hints of orange!
    Samantha H.

    Awesome space with a bunch of cool people. Andrew, the owner, welcomed us personally and chatted with us for awhile. He had a lot of cool stories to share with us and we enjoyed every minute. Mario made AMAZING drinks and even shared their history with us! We felt very welcomed and appreciated and will certainly be returning for their karaoke!

    Crafted Cocktail!
    Michelle M.

    The bear claw is not just a bar it is a community of amazing people! All of the employees are amazing, they make great drinks, put on amazing events, and listen to their customers and make it an enjoyable place to come too! From karaoke, pool, jenga, live bands, themed nights and more this is the place to be! I love my bear claw family!

    BC Jeep Crew

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    1 year ago

    Always a great time at this bar. Staff is very welcoming and Gretchen is such a badass bartender. Good vibes all the time at the Bear Claw

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    2 years ago

    Heck yeah! Rachel made us bomb espresso martinis and all the locals were friendly. Also, I got to pet dogs!!!

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    2 years ago

    Horrible atmosphere. Bartenders over pour alcohol, which in turn causes fist fights among the customers.

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    3 years ago

    Amazing bar! Great vibes! The service is amazing here! The bartenders make amazing drinks!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Bear Claw Saloon

    Review Highlights - Bear Claw Saloon

    I've been to in my whole life I'm just gonna say this bar is off the hook and Gretchen is off the hook.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    Stockade Grub & Whiskey - Pickle fries are SO good!

    Stockade Grub & Whiskey

    (614 reviews)

    $$

    Stockade Grub & Whiskey has quickly become one of my favorite places in Crestline. The moment you…read morewalk in, the vibe feels warm, rustic, and welcoming. The staff is always friendly, attentive, and really makes you feel like part of the community. The food is consistently great, but my absolute favorite is the brisket -- perfectly seasoned, tender, and packed with flavor every single time. And if you come on the weekend, the live band takes the whole experience to another level. Great music, great food, great people... it's the perfect combo. It's the ideal spot to relax after a long day, hang out with friends, or enjoy a good meal on the mountain. If you're in the area, you definitely need to stop by. Highly recommended!

    I loved the staff at Stockade Grub and Whiskey! It was a full house and we had a party of 5 but…read morethey did what they could to sit us down as fast as possible. We opted to sit outside and they turned on all of their outdoor heaters for us, even though we're were initially the only ones out there. It was a cold night but the heaters made it comfortable. I ordered the chicken tenders and fries. One of my friends ordered the bacon bbq burger with onion rings. We split these plates so we could both try two different dishes. I accidentally ordered a buffalo sauce instead of the bbq for my nuggets, and I was not a fan of the sauce. It was a dark sauce with too much smokiness to it. My friend ordered a side of bbq and that one was much better. The tenders are crispy and pair well with their bbq sauce or their ranch. The burger was also tasty. Fries were okay and I did not like their onion rings. They had a different taste to them. I couldn't put my finger on the flavor but it wasn't good in my opinion. My other friend ordered mozzarella sticks, and they were not good. No cheese pull, and it honestly tasted like moderately fried string cheese. The food took a really long time to come out. I know they were busy, but once the food came, we inhaled it because of how hungry we were. The vibes there are excellent though. We really enjoyed the music and the staff were fantastic. I still recommend making a pit stop here if you're ever in the Crestline area.

    Dogwood Tavern

    Dogwood Tavern

    (132 reviews)

    $$

    I own a place up here, and I spend at least one weekend every few weeks in Lake Arrowhead, and I've…read morebeen to Dogwood a couple of times. For the mountain, it's solid, the bartenders are friendly, the drinks are good, and the food is decent. That said, my main concern is with the atmosphere. It's... fine. And that's exactly the problem. As most of us know, there's a serious lack of entertainment options up here, especially for people under 60. Despite the older demographic, there's still a sizable group of younger, creative, and social folks looking for something to do. Sure, you could be satisfied with a '70s rock cover band for the 100th time in the village, but if not, then Dogwood has the potential to be the go-to spot if it just puts in a bit more effort. The last event listed on your website was in 2019. The last Instagram post was over two months ago, and the one before that was for New Year's Eve. With that kind of minimal effort in promoting and programming, it's no surprise the vibe is lacking. If Dogwood committed even 50% effort to curating consistent experiences and letting people know about them, I believe it could be one of the best spots on the mountain. Come on guys, my 94-year-old grandmother could do a better marketing job than you, and she barely knows how to use the internet. If you do better, you will be better!

    The staff especially Mike is amazingly nice and tentative to our large group!! Really appreciate…read morethe food as well - got the dogwood burger. It was delicious and the fries were good as well! Would recommend for a nice night with friends!!

    Murray's Saloon & Eatery - Fish and Chips

    Murray's Saloon & Eatery

    (1.5k reviews)

    $$

    i will be back every single time i am in big bear! me and my…read morefriend went bar hopping in the village and landed on murrays. the food was actually yummy and more affordable than any of the other places in the village. our burger was big enough to share between 2 of us for $15 and cocktail was $8.5! at that point why even go anywhere else lol like the past reviews tables are pretty hard to find after karaoke starts, we waited maybe 30 minutes before we snagged some spots on the bar and got to order food before kitchen closed. staff is super attentive and will check up on everyone despite the packed chaos karaoke wait time!!! super important if this is your target!!!! we put our names down at 7pm, got called at 8:30! this is on a saturday night of a 3 day weekend so maybe its usually a shorter wait. earlier on people were singing more classics that everyone knows, later on as audience changed there were more younger people who knew a wider range of songs. crossed this off my bucket list, cant wait to be back :D

    Went here for dinner one night as it came highly recommended for great pub food. I had the ribeye…read moresteak and my friend had the salmon. They were good but I wouldn't say great. Wait staff was nice and helpful and plenty of parking. Walking distance to the main strip in Big Bear Lake. We got there right before 8pm and they stopped serving food shortly after 8pm. Lots of fun bar activity and karaoke going on. We probably won't go back for dinner but may return for drinks some time.

    Ye Olde Lamplighter

    Ye Olde Lamplighter

    (300 reviews)

    $$

    My husband and I decided on a spontaneous Friday night date after a long week. We wanted a good…read moresteak and a place to unwind, so I took a chance on Ye Olde Lamplighter after seeing the reviews. Pulling into the parking lot, we weren't sure what to expect, this place blends right into its surroundings and gives major "if you know, you know" energy. It's literally next to a collector's shop. Walking inside felt like stepping into an old movie, very cozy, dim, and full of character. Booth seating is limited, so we started at a small table with the option to move once a booth opened up. Drinks in hand, we took in the scene and quickly realized this spot has karaoke and a loyal group of regulars who bring the entertainment. We ordered pan seared ahi and potato skins to start, and once we moved to a booth, the food arrived. The ahi was fresh and surprisingly good, especially for my first time trying it. The potato skins were classic and paired perfectly with our drinks. For entrées, we both went with the ribeyes and chose baked potatoes as our sides. The steaks came out tender, juicy, flavorful and honestly far better than we expected. The kind of meal that makes you pause mid‑bite and look at each other like, "Wait... this is actually delicious." And the pricing? Perfect. Almost unbelievable for the quality of the food, service, and overall experience. Between the great steaks, friendly staff, lively atmosphere, and the chance to just relax and enjoy each other's company, this place delivered exactly what we needed. We'll definitely be back.

    We were in the area and found this place on Yelp. When we first pulled into the parking lot, I…read morethought to myself, "no way". I'm glad I didn't listen to myself, and we went in and had a great experience. I would say that this place is like an old-fashioned steakhouse, dark, but comfortable. The bar area seemed to be occupied by regulars, as did several of the booths and tables in the dining area. We met Lisa & Dave, the owners, and Lisa waited on us, while Dave was tending the bar. We started with two Old Fashioned cocktails, one a Crème Brûlée and the other a Blackberry. Both were unique, outstandingly delicious, and at $9 each, a real steal. So much so, we shared a second Crème Brulé Old Fashioned. FOOD: They started us off with a complimentary basket of Cheesy Garlic Bread. We ordered the Sautéed Mushrooms ($14) to share. My mother-in-law got the Lamp Burger ($13) served with fries, and my wife and I both ordered the Prime Rib (Queen Cut $37) served with veggies & fries. We both got the side salad, but I also ordered a cup of Chili Verde soup ($5). I asked for a side of blue cheese dressing and received a small cup of the homemade blue cheese dressing using Gorgonzola which was fantastic! We finished it off with their Brown Butter Cake ($10) served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I can't begin to emphasize how delicious everything was, and the service was top notch. I guess the lesson is, don't judge a book by its cover (or the parking lot). We had a delicious meal, fantastic cocktails, and excellent service. We'd most definitely return for another visit. Check it out!

    Joshua Inn - Mechanical Bull Ride Experience

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    The Joshua Inn is a cherished High Desert gem that embodies the laid back spirit of the community…read more While it may seem like a little ole' place that's often overlooked, it's truly a one of a kind experience that you won't find just anywhere. At its core it's dusty desert dive bar with a juke box, pool table, a few arcade games, bar stools, & a huge outdoor seating area. They exclusively serve beer but they offer a wide selection that includes a few malt liquor options as well. It's CASH ONLY but they do have an ATM on site. There's also a choice of gatorades, sodas, and things like that. If you get hungry they do have a small menu that includes burgers, peanuts, chips, candy, and other snacks. Even though it's a dive bar children are allowed on the premise with proper supervisor and away from the bar area. Since there's a huge outdoor area children usually play around there and dogs are welcome too. What makes the experience so special at Joshua Inn is the campground atmosphere that feels like you're hanging out with your buddies. People sit in the back of their truck beds and have drinks or some people even roll up in their dirt bikes, buggies, bajas, you name it! It almost feels like a modernized saloon that if you could look at the past, you would see cowboys riding their horses up to the Joshua Inn to all meet up and hangout. If you're ever in this odd little area, I would highly recommend stopping by the J.I.!

    I love the Josh...I'm a local, when they serve sandwiches...they're perfect for the occasion and…read morelocation. Id like to see coffee being served. I drink about 7 cups a day...id like to have about 3 of those cups at the Josh! Lol the people are my favorite part of the Josh aside from the ambiance. I hope the Josh never changes...it's everything a true "redneck" bar is suppose to be!

    Bear Claw Saloon - musicvenues - Updated May 2026

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