Food was delicious and waiter was very kind and quick. The service was also good and our waiter engaged with us a lot.

Stopped here for a break from driving on our road trip up north. Super clean vibe, lots of tables, greeted right away by Ashley. She was our server and was wonderful. We ordered the Turkey Club and the Build Your Own Bear's Choice Breakfast with scrambled eggs and biscuits and gravy as the choice. The Turkey Club was delicious, it came with the perfect amount of fries. The biscuits and gravy portion was HUGE with the Build Your Own Bear's Choice Breakfast. The scrambled eggs that came with that weren't that great, but the bacon was delicious! The bathrooms were clean and there was lots of parking. There is a gas station right near by (super high gas prices btw). There was an outlet at our table which was super clutch so we could charge our phones before getting back on the road. Great spot to stop for food, will definitely add this to my list of spots to stop on future road trips. read more

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A great way to ruin an evening is to tell a customer that you're out of veggie patties... 15 minutes after your party has ordered, and 10 minutes after waiting to be seated. Edit: I wanted to come back to this review to add that the server did her absolute best to apologize and make up for the issue. She was incredibly sweet, gave us free desserts, and clearly felt so bad about what happened. read more

Stopped by for some great food and that's what we got! There was 8 of us and we were heading home from spending 2 days in Valencia for a funeral. We all knew we wanted to find a Black Bear diner. Place was so clean. We were seated immediately and drinks arrived fast. Our server was Tausha. She was wonderful! We teased and laughed with her. If you stop there ask her about the guy that wanted the channel changed even though he was sitting in a different area. Our meals were all perfect! Not one mistake . Always had coffee cups filled and drinks. Thank you Tausha for great service today, and Black Bear for delicious food! Oh, and the servings are huge! Not sure when we'll be down that way, but if we do, we will stop again. read more

Great place to stop by and have a meal if you are heading towards LA or heading up north. Service was very good. The food didn't take long to come out. AC is blasting so you can cool off before you get back on the road. Big screen TV to catch a game while you dine too. Turkey club is a great choice. I just thought they were a little skimpy with the onion rings. All in all a good experience at this location. read more

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Time for lunch! A bit busy on a Sunday afternoon. Service was good. Food was tasty. Restaurant was clean. Cute decor, with all the bear stuff throughout. I had a burger and fries, both were good. read more

It was pleasing that this restaurant has two, clean, expansive dining areas and personnel were very friendly. As one enters, their specialty pies and desserts greet customers as well as a small area selling souvenirs and Black Bear products. One of us ordered the Ham Steak breakfast and the other had the Meatloaf dinner. The breakfast consisted of two huge pancakes, two large eggs with a thick slab of ham steak. The pancakes were a bit chewy and could have been fluffier. My "over easy" eggs were cooked too long and the yolks didn't stay runny after frying on both sides. The smoky, clove-infused hamsteak was quite good. The Meatloaf dinner however was a disappointment. Look at my photo. The breading was falling off the onion rings, which arrived "just warm", not fresh from the fryer. The meatloaf was a small portion covered in brown gravy that didn't look so fresh. The coleslaw was the highlight of this order - it was creamy and full of crunchy flavor. All in all, we like the homey vibe with their clean looking atmosphere and the friendly & helpful employees, but the food was a miss. read more

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Food: 3.5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 But they had dirty silverware! I only felt it on the back of the fork after I had eaten half my food, and afterwards I felt a bit too grossed out to continue eating. Picture attached The decor is always cute in here and they have some merch at the front like pajamas or other things that seem to be decent quality, I think the pajamas were 100% cotton I ordered the little pot roast with the sides the soup of the day (creamy potatoes) and fruit while my partner got the pot roast melt with mashed potatoes. The fruit was relatively ripe and fresh, mashed potatoes were done well and flavorful, and the soup was hot and paired nicely with the crackers. It was a bit too buttery/oily for me but still nice. The carrots and lettuce in the pot roast were cooked well enough although carrots could be cooked a little more. The beef was cooked well, the sauce was a bit salty but overall enjoyable. Service was also fast and attentive and got our water and huckleberry lemonade to us pretty quickly. The lemonade is good but we prefer it a little watered down so we just added some water to it! I would rate 4/5 otherwise but dirty silverware is a big one for me, not sure if I'm really expected to inspect all areas of my silverware before using it every time we eat out? read more

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Let me tell you how amazing our service was and how delicious our food was. Food was very tasty and the biscuits were (big and fluffy) perfect! We also had a super sweet and kind and very tentative waitress by the name of Ashley. Ashley your service and personality on par. Never change. Two thumbs up from guys. Try it out on the way to Bakersfield coming down the grapevine. In regard to the ambiance well it is a dinner and it's semi quiet but nice. read more

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On the road again and stopped for lunch. Quick to get a table at a booth. Again very good service. Chicken melt sandwich for me & a Cobb salad for my hubby satisfied our appetites. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad with Thousand Island dressing - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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Either understaffed or mismanaged. While waiting there were several booths not being bussed and the ones that were ready it took forever to be seated. Found counter seats. Watched the food being placed for pick up. The cooks started stacking plates on top of each other. Food is edible but not great. Sad because it's a Sunday and busy. read more

I have wanted to try a Black Bear Diner for quite some time. Let me say this review is a mix of me probably ordering the wrong items, I am sure if I ordered comfort food, it would have been better. Starting with the service, decor and parking. There is a large lot with plenty of spaces, near the outlets and hotel, so that's a plus. Decor inside is all things bear, very kitschy and homey feel, I liked it. My service was very nice and made sure I had what I needed, speed of my food coming out was OK, seemed a little long, but not too bad. Now to the food, as I said, I am sure if I got a bacon cheese burger and fries, it would have been amazing, but I wanted something smaller and tried to make a little better choice so I went with the little less diner with the Santa Maria 6 oz. Tri-tip, came with two sides and I got a side salad with blue cheese. The good here is they give very large portions, even ordering the smaller dinner. My salad came out first with a homemade cornbread muffin, I would say the salad with their blue cheese and the cornbread were my favorite parts. Would have like another piece of the cornbread, very tasty. The tri-tip was decent, maybe a bit over done and I ordered medium rare, seasoning was nice though. Added some of the habanero sauce and made it a bit better. My sides, I tried to choose better than fries or beans with bacon, Cole slaw, etc. and ended up getting corn on the cob and a baked potato (minus the cheese and bacon, mistake). The corn on the cob seemed like it had been sitting in the water way too long, came with melted butter, but even that could not make it very good. The baked potato came with butter and sour cream (no chives or green onions BTW, that's a first and would have improved it) but same with the corn, seemed like it had been strong heated for way to long, dry and just not good, even smothering it with butter and sour cream. Probably would have been OK with bacon and cheese, that always makes things better, but it still would be not very good. All in all, decor inside is unique, homey vibe, service was good, food was a let down though. With that said, I would give them another shot and this time order some true roadside diner fare and I would imagine a much better experience food wise. Enjoy! read more

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Food, service, and ambience are excellent. This Black Bear looks like it's brand new and it's 12 years old! Can't say enough about this Black Bear. Come winter I'll hibernate here! read more

Amazing! The General Manager here is magick and the hospitality was the best I have had in years. We had the Cobb salads and they were absolutely amazing and one of the best we have had. We were blown away by the service and the food. We would highly recommend you coming by this place anytime you're coming off the Grapevine read more

Arrived at 6 pm on a Saturday evening. We are headed home to Arizona and are staying the night in the area. We were greeted within 5 minutes and seated. Server came within 5 minutes also. The place seems clean, diner clean anyway. I ordered chili with corn bread, chicken and waffles for my son and chocolate chip pancakes for my daughter. All was well at the Black bear diner. Good job guys! read more

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We usually love Black Bear Dinner but this location went wrong.. We are stopped here for quick dinner on Wednesday on the way home back to Bay Area. Our waitress seems fine at first, but she didn't bring us spoons, dressing for salad, no coffee refills, and wrong order. The waitress are looks nice to any local people. But not for tourists. Some local customer were very racists. There are two middle 40 aggressive Karen type of women were at the restroom and talked and laughed about us. They just followed me in to restroom. (Is she still in high school..？ read more

If you've never had the steak and eggs at Black Bear Diner, you're sleeping on one of the real heavy hitters of breakfast. This plate comes out looking like it means business -- thick-cut steak, seasoned right, grilled with that little diner-char that only places like this know how to do. The eggs? However you want them. Scrambled, over-easy, over-medium -- they always land soft, hot, and exactly on point. Put that together with their potatoes and toast, and you've got a breakfast that feels like it was built, not served. This isn't some tiny café plate. This is the kind of breakfast that keeps you full till dinner. Black Bear Diner really knows how to throw down a proper steak-and-egg setup. Highly recommend it -- hearty, consistent, and worth every bite. Jordan read more

I was on my way to Atascadero, but stopped here for breakfast. I hadn't planned on doing a review, because, it's bacon and eggs. How hard is that? However, my server asked if I wanted strawberries on my waffle and that sounded so good, so I said yes. The strawberries were so delicious! Cold, sweet, juicy, ALL the things! Caveat, I didn't realize they cost extra and if she'd told me that, I might have declined, but I'm glad I got them. Shout out to Alex, my server. The place was hella' busy and she was still professional, attentive and efficient. She's definitely a keeper. 10/10, would return. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Scrambled eggs, bacon and waffle with strawberries. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

Great service with a smile and welcoming attuide. Food was awsom. And the place very clean read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - The scram bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

Stopped off at Black Bear Diner in Arvin on our was to Sacramento for breakfast. The food was served warm, flavorful, but what made it great was the service. Our server was Trish, exceptional serve with a smile I'll remember for a long time. read more

This restaurant is a must stop at when we go to El Tejon Outlets. Today's visit was not as good as the others. It was busy when we got there, MAYBE that's why we waited about an hour for our food and MAYBE that's why our food did not taste fresh and was a bit cold. But we are not ones to complain, well we do but just to eachother. I got my youngest the happy cub cake. Well just look at the picture, I was a bit bummed. My oldest liked her turkey club and I liked my chicken ceasar melt and my husband liked his taco salad. We all just agreed, the food tasted as if it stayed sitting for awhile. Our waitress was not rude at all but she did neglect us a little bit, unsure if it was intentional or not. But I've been to restaurants where they seem short staffed and the food was great. My oldest daughter and husband said they noticed people who got there after us and they were fed before us. I didn't notice that but my back was towards everyone. Of course we will still come here after a El Tejon trip but hopefully the food is fresher. read more

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This place was SHORT STAFFED for a lunch rush. I felt terrible for them. The first thing I noticed was that the bathroom was filthy and the water wasn't running to the toilet. I informed my waitress about the issue but it had not been solved when I went back to the bathroom about 20 minutes later. When I came out, someone was already starting to clear my table. They were nice and replaced the coffee that they had taken away, but overall I got the message from the staff 'We are barely keeping it together and we don't have time for niceties.' The food was still great. I had pancakes and French toast. read more

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

We've eaten at other Black Bear Diners and we were always happy, but unfortunately, this one is one and done: We stopped for breakfast and opted to sit at the counter. Thank goodness we did, otherwise we probably would have never got our food. Though there seemed to be many people working, most were moving around quite slowly. The restaurant was not busy. Our server took our order and then completely disappeared. The tables behind us were piled with dirty dishes and food and never cleaned during the entire time we were there. Other patrons were sitting with their empty dirty dishes in front of them waiting for their checks. I will say the cook was kicking butt. He was placing orders up in the window quickly, but then there they sat. After our order sat for at least 6-7 minutes, we asked the hostess if she could get it for us which she did along with silverware. By then, it was luke warm. Our server only returned at the end of our meal. In the meantime, there was a line of other orders that had been sitting in the warming window for a good 10-15 minutes. The one and only cook deserves a 5 star - but the rest of the service and cleanliness of the restaurant deserves a 1. We will not be returning. read more

Driving down from up North we decided to stop here. Our waitress ( didn't get her name was sweet). Everything was fine BUT when we went to pay I asked for separate checks and Lulu was so rude. She split the bill. Anyways Lulu couldn't figure out the register. Ms. Irene came to the rescue. She was able to do separate checks. Lulu I'm sorry if you're having a bad day but your customers do need your attitude. read more

Worst black bear... powdered eggs that turn to dust in your mouth. Disgusting. Staff was good but they can't make up for the taste of the food. Gravy had no taste. read more

Food always good , portions are good and great services every time I go that's my spot

We recently moved to this area, and we have eaten here several times now... their chili is the best I've ever had!!! We also tried their prime rib special last night, and it was delicious! The baked potato and the green beans were also tasty. You definitely cannot go wrong with their breakfast items. The chicken sausage, ham steak, and hash browns are my favorite. Moreover, the staff at this location are incredibly nice. It's partially why we keep coming back... thanks everyone, for all you do! read more

I stopped here on Friday to grab a quick meal while traveling to San Jose. The place smelled strongly of mold--not sure if it's due to poor ventilation or something wrong with the carpet--but it was definitely unpleasant. It took some time to get used to it. The server was polite and seated me quickly since it wasn't very busy. I ordered an omelet, assuming it would be one of the quickest and simplest items to prepare. Instead, it took 40 minutes to arrive. Honestly, if I were at home, I could go to the grocery store, buy the ingredients, prep, cook the omelet, and clean up in that same amount of time. It was surprising--and frustrating--that it took so long, especially after I had to follow up to get my food. The omelet itself was very basic. They chopped and mixed avocado directly into it as a topping, which was unusual since most places serve it on the side. It was also extremely bland--no salt or pepper at all. The vegetables inside were lightly seasoned and had an okay texture, but nothing memorable. The hash browns were the worst I've ever had: slightly raw, oily, and soft. That's especially disappointing considering I cook frozen hash browns at home and they've never turned out this bad. The toast was fine and adequately buttered. I genuinely feel bad for the locals who eat here and, by doing so, encourage the business to keep serving subpar food to new customers. I won't be dining at any Black Bear Diner again--I'd rather get Panda Express or go to the Denny's across the street. read more

Stopped by this black bear on our drive to San Diego and I'm so glad we did! Black bear was our go to diner in our first home town living together. So this place already holds a special place in our hearts! The decor is classic. Love the merchandise being sold in the front. Our servers were very sweet and our food came out quick! I got the stuffed berry French toast, which was more like a stuffed bear claw to me. It was yummy, but I probably wouldn't get it again. The bread was too thick. My husband got a country fried steak -- always a good choice. My daughter loved her berry pancake. read more

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

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Today I got the Volcano which came with everything you need for breakfast. The bacon portion was great. The service was really nice, but they were heavily understaffed for breakfast. The seating is comfortable with nice design. We had to wait at least 40 minutes until the food came. There was only one waiter for the whole side of the room which was full of people so be prepared for a long wait. Also, the fries are okay. They're crispy but little dry. McDonald fries are better imo. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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Stopped here for a solid breakfast with my son on our way up to a Metallica concert in NorCal. I've been to this location before during a business trip a few years back, and it was nice to return. We both ordered the Italian Sausage breakfast--mine with a side salad, his with hash browns. The sausage was just as good as I remembered: hot, flavorful, and satisfying. Eggs over easy were cooked perfectly, and my son said the biscuit reminded him of the ones they serve at school--which, surprisingly, is a compliment coming from him. I usually get the coffee here. Something about their coffee just pairs so well with the food. But I had to skip it this time since I was driving, and coffee tends to hit me quick when I'm on the road. This location sits right off the freeway and caters mostly to travelers, so it's not as loud or crowded as some of the other Black Bear Diners I've been to--and that's a big plus. My son's a fan of their Original Pepper Sauce "Baby Burn," while I go for the Habanero "PaPa Burn." Another great experience at Black Bear. Consistent food, good service, and a nice quiet stop before a big day. read more

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It's next to the outlet mall and right off the 5 freeway, parking lot is big and tons of spots to park. A cute little shop as you enter, hostess got our name and we waited maybe 5min to be seated. The menu was a newspaper and it was very niche. Food didn't take to long to come, but some confusion when handing plates, we basically got plates of things we didn't order. Plus somethings we did order never arrived. It didn't make or break our experience, still left a nice tip. It's has a friendly atmosphere and family oriented. read more

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Thank you Carolyn for the extra friendly service and amazing food. This was the perfect resting place. You were so great in accommodated our needs. read more

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Service was good .. server was attentive but the food was not OK. Hash browns looked like they were scrapped from the bottom of the pan. Scrambled egg portion was very small! :( and my waffle was overcooked :( overall it was an OK experience but I rather go to the BBD in palmdale..food there is fresh read more

After traveling abroad as well as to D.C. and everywhere in between I was craving a warm pot pie. Black Bear Diner hit the spot with a flaky crusted fresh chicken pot pie not too heavy and a side of green beans with bacon. These meals are normally really big but both purchased on this check were on the smaller side. Bear Paw chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with a side of slaw reminded me of good ol cafeteria style lunch. Love the little gift shop as well. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Pot pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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Horrible service and rude waitress. We didn't get her name (shaved side of head, wearing green bay shirt, can't miss her) upon entering, she was arguing with the hostess about filling up her section. The hostess apologized to us for having to witness that. Then this chick seats us but ignores us for 45+ minutes, tables were leaving while she's bussing tables to keep her section full. She asked us why the people next to us left. I told her probably because it's been over 45 minutes and that the service was bad. She didn't like my answer so only addressed my husband from this point out. Luckily my husband is nicer than me because I would have left a penny on the table. I guess I should expect this type of crap service from this middle of nowhere location but she was the worst, treating customers and coworkers poorly should not be tolerated. **** the long wait time to get our food was not her fault but ignoring us, not communicating with us, bussing tables and seating more people in her section added to a very negative experience read more

Great service, with affordable food. My server Ashley lead me in the right direction with the open face turkey sandwich, everything I ordered was absolutely amazing. If they have the potatoes soup, it's a must order! The cornbread is the best I've ever had!!!!! plates are massive you can definitely share. Thank you to Ashley for being so welcoming & attentive. She's a great server. Will definitely come back! read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Best corn bread - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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Trish was a delight as our waitress, and offered fresh fruit to go since it had been replaced with potatoes. Food was good, LOVE their thick bacon! We stop here most of the time on our way north read more

We've eaten at several Black Bear Diners across the state. They are typically good and consistent. Unfortunately, this experience the service was definitely sub-par. It was around 8:30pm when we got there. Not empty, but also not busy. We got our drinks from a fairly indifferent server. It took quite a while for her to come back and get our order. My husband ordered the classic turkey dinner. I ordered an old favorite of mine, one pancake with gravy and 2 sausages. No, I don't like biscuits with gravy, I like pancakes. . All that aside, , we waited quite awhile for our food. When it came out, my husband's order was fine. However, I got a my pancake and sausages but no gravy. I immediately asked for my gravy and the server seemed surprised. She said, I didn't hear the gravy. I'll go put it in. It was late and I was hungry so I started eating my pancake plan. Eventually, I asked if it was coming, and she said, "they're making it". Needless to say, my gravy never came. No one apologized. The food that we did get was good, the service was two thumbs down. read more

The food was ok but we waited an hour to get our food. By the time we were seated, food ordered, and done with our quick meal, it was close to 2 hours. read more