Black Bear Diner was actually introduced to me by my brother when he suggested we stop by for breakfast during my visit in Bakersfield. As any true Yelper would, I was excited to scope it out since it was my very first visit and honestly, this place immediately won me over. From the moment we pulled up, I noticed the fun bear-themed decor outside, and it only got cuter once we walked in. They even had a whole little gift shop filled with adorable bear-themed goodies like baby clothes, tiny bear boots, teddy bears, and so many cute items that made the place feel extra cozy and unique. My brother highly recommended the steak and eggs, so I decided to trust his judgment and I'm glad I did! The steak was juicy, flavorful, and nicely seasoned, the hash browns were extra crispy exactly how I like them, and the sunny side up eggs were cooked perfectly. Everything tasted fresh, comforting, and homemade. I was also pleasantly surprised by how affordable everything was. We placed a pickup order over the phone, and the entire process was super quick and convenient. The workers were all very friendly and polite, which made the experience even better. Between the cozy atmosphere, cute decor, tasty food, and welcoming service, I can definitely see why this spot is so popular. I'd absolutely love to come back again to try something new -- and maybe actually dine in next time! read more

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We were stopping through Bakersfield on our trip back from Joshua tree and know that black bear dinner is great for kids. It was dinner for us so my husband got the burger. I got the chicken pot pie, my daughter got the Mac n and cheese with fruit and my toddler got the pancake and eggs. Everyone was happy with their main dishes. The green beans that came with my pot pie were brown though, I think they'd been stewing all day. The fruit that came with my daughter's mac and cheese was just melon and didn't look super fresh. We could have used more frequent water refills and my pot pie was fine--I think they'd breakfast food is what shines here, but we were there at dinner time (5:30-6ish) All in all the food came out fast and everything we wanted was available. The kids got the free strawberries for dessert with their kids meals. While they waited for me to finish eating they played in the lobby near the jukebox and stuffed bears which was cute, and allowed the elderly guests to say hi to them. A very wholesome experience. read more

Went a couple of times just to check it out. Should of not went back after the first time. Has chicken and waffles. No flavor. But fired chicken no seasoning. Waffles. No flavor. Ordered a chocolate malt extra malt . Got a vanilla shake. Went back a second time , just got sweet potato fries They were just mush. No texture at all. Don't waste your time or money. read more

Came for my free birthday breakfast with my husband and son. The free breakfast option was the Bear Choice Breakfast (2 pancakes, eggs, and bacon). I also ordered a cup of coffee. The waiter was very attentive and refilled our drinks frequently. My breakfast was incredibly good! The pancakes were perfectly cooked with a buttery taste. The eggs were fluffy and delicious with the chipotle hot sauce. The bacon was crispy and perfect. My last visit's food was less than stellar and this breakfast made up for that experience! Thank you for a great breakfast! Can't wait to come back! read more

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Table for 1,please. This is Black Bear Diner, right off of California Ave I'm sold on their blueberry pancakes! The pancakes are fluffy and loaded with berries, then piled high with whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. The bacon is perfectly crispy, and the poached egg is a delicious addition. The presentation is classic Black Bear, and the food is so comforting. The service is always friendly with a smile, and the coffee keeps on flowing. It feels like I'm visiting an auntie's house and she's throwing it down in the kitchen. A little noisy but its only because of the family stories that's being shared around the table. This is the perfect spot for a hearty breakfast! read more

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This was my first stop in and I was jut grabbing take out BUT it is so cute and cozy inside! The decor is cabin/bears of course and I loved it all. They even have a shelf full of the cutest bear paw slippers and other swag. The service was quick, I ordered my food when I stopped at the bank next door and it was ready right away. The food was decent, the hash browns would probably be better eaten fresh and not transported. The bacon was thick and perfectly cooked. Get a side of salsa, it was yummy and fresh. I don't usually do chain restaurants, especially not for breakfast, but I would totally come back here! read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - Pink bear paws!! - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Well...I had high hopes for my breakfast today. But, I was a a little disappointed. Overall, the food is really good. Definitely has a nice country breakfast feel. Service on the other hand is okay, but not as contentious as I feel they should be. If the customer asks for extra sugar, jam, butter for their oatmeal, grits, and toast, one would believe those items would be included. I got the butter, 1 sugar (which isn't enough for my oatmeal, so we have non for my grits), no jam whatsoever for my toast, and eggs were over easy, rather than over medium. This greatly affected my meal. Not to mention the numerous clumps lumps in my oatmeal. This was almost half of my serving. I'd like to see the waitstaff read the comments the customer enters. On a good note, the Italian sausage patty was very good! So maybe my meal helped save my waistline, as I only ate half my meal.‍ The ambiance is casual and cozy in my opinion. read more

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On our way through town needed breakfast stopped in at this location. Service was A+. Super good. All our food was cooked to order as we asked. Food tasted really good in fresh big portions. This location was clean and well lit and everything was nice. We would definitely come back and eat from this location again. read more

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The service was amazing. Food was fantastic. Large portions. Came for breakfast and dinner.

The full food is always fresh and the presentation is always beautiful. The service is always fast and friendly even when it's very busy. read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - Turkey club sandwich and french fries. - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Brunch for our family of 13 today was excellent. Our server was Ishmael. He was excellent very kindly with our food and refills are in our drinks. Great service here very friendly and the mood with excellent. read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - Brunch - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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On our way up to and back from camping we had breakfast here. Both times staff was great and attentive. The place is super family friendly with a fairly large kids menu. It's a big place with lots of seating and of course, lots of bear themed decor. The kids menu portions are pretty good sized. On the way back the food took longer than expected to reach our table. Food is good, nothing exceptional. But we enjoyed our time here. read more

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It's been 2 years since I are here but I thought I'd give it another try. Waiter was great. This time I ordered steak and eggs. I asked for my steak rare, they cooked it medium well. I sent it back and they returned with a medium to medium rare steak. It had no salt but a bunch of black pepper. It wasn't the best but I ate it anyway. The potatoes cooked with red green bell peppers and onions were mediocre. Some of the potatoes were burnt, giving the potatoes a burnt taste. The biscuits and gravy were good. The scrambled eggs were OK. I don't see myself coming back here again for breakfast. Who knows maybe another two years go by and I'll give it another shot after I forget. The decor and theme of the restaurant is great. Mountain log cabin theme. I wish food was just as great. read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - Inside restraunt - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

im very disappointed to experience the rip off practices of paying at the end of the meal at the cash register,, the pos machine is not showing the correct tip percentage!!?? i spent $20 for breakfast and the tip payment system was showing a very high price on the payment machine,,, i dont like this happening again- stop stealing from bakersfield community,,, im very disappointed in finding this read more

Muy buenos en general solamente los pancakes y poco crudos pero de ahí adelante todo muy rico read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Had the pot roast melt which hardly had any meat on it at all. Also came with a cup of clam chowder that was totally watery. Very disappointing . read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - Pot roast melt (where's the beef??) - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

When I sat down I knew what I wanted . It my server 4 minutes to find his way to me. And explain what I wanted and I needed coffee with that. 9 minutes later I decided to leave . It's morning and I come there for coffee and breakfast. Now it's 13 or 14 minutes in my sitting there with no coffee. I don't have time for this. I don't know if they understaffed or not. There's reason to go back here. read more

I usually begin my reviews with the food. Not today. Today I start with my server. Ismael met me at the door and greeted me warmly. After seating me, he was extremely attentive. Not only did he keep my coffee hot and full, but he insured my food was perfect, all the time he was also taking care of other customers and cleaning tables. When he had a break in the action he came over and talked with me. We had a few good laughs. Ismael made me feel welcome and wanted. Now the food. If I have to complain, I will. I should have gotten grits instead of potatoes. Don't get me wrong, the potatoes were great, but the meal would have been better with Grits. I had the Grizz. Three eggs, cooked to perfection medium, potatoes, two strips bacon, two sausage links, and a thick cut slab of ham. That was on plate. The second plate, was beautifully cooked sweet pancakes. They tasted great. Everything was cooked to perfection and hot when I got it. The music playing on the Touch Tunes jukebox was just right for breakfast. Al in all a perfect breakfast. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE BLACK BEAR DINER. read more

Black Bear Diner Bakersfield - The Grizz - American Near Me - Bakersfield, California

let's just say many disappointments in cold food. waitress had to many tables and couldn't keep up with orders. Food was not cooked right. Eggs was running and sausage was not even cooked all the way through. read more

Love Black Bear diner. Go there whenever I travel to visit my grandchildren in Northern California. Food is great and friendly service. Prices are very fair. Will go again soon read more

We have frequented Black Bear Diners for years. First time visiting this one. Likely our last. For a chain that is known for quality of food, cleanliness and great service, this establishment missed on two of three. This was a Friday morning visit about 8AM. Greeting was fine, we did wait a bit to be seated despite the restaurant being quite empty vs how Black Bears usually are (probably should have been a clue). Were seated in the farthest corner from the front door under an air conditioning vent when only 25% tables were full. The server was polite, attentive and cordial. Took our order and verified he had it all correct before leaving. I point this last part out because of what happened next. While our plates "looked" like what we ordered (photos included), it was all a facade. My chicken fried steak was good and the lone hot item we were served - the bright spot of the day - but my over hard eggs were over easy and ran all over the plate. My country potatoes, ordered crispy, were not only a mushy mess, they weren't even warm. I requested a single pancake vs toast (which there was no charge for surprisingly) to be delivered after the main plate but it was the first thing to come out. My wife's small omelette was OK but also barely warm, not hot. Her country potatoes, also ordered crispy, were cold, and mushy and the sourdough toast she ordered came out as white toast. Basically, the kitchen was an epic fail. The servers did their best but couldn't overcome the poor quality of the kitchen. Oh, the coffee was good. read more

We noticed they had a sign outside their establishment that said that they have new lower prices, so we stopped for lunch. We saw several people waiting and were told that there was a 10 minute wait. No problem. 20 minutes later, we were seated. I noticed that only about half of the tables were occupied and the other half had been used but not cleared of plates. It looked like there was only one waiter working. We finally got up and left when, after 15 minutes, they hadn't even taken our drink orders. Now we know why they have lowered their prices; they don't have many employees to pay... read more

My husband and I went to breakfast here. The place was messy, even when the one of 2 waiters cleaned up, there was still dirty napkins on the floor and a baby chair that wasn't even wiped down. We ordered breakfast and it took a while and when we were served it was not appetizing at all. We both had biscuits and gravy which the gravy was like water. My husband ordered his eggs over medium and the yolk was broken and oozing into the gravy. My omelette was over cooked. My husband also said that his coffee tasted burnt. We had lunch there one time and wasn't any better. We thought we would give it another try with breakfast but no luck. We have visited other black bear locations and they were fine. We won't be going back! read more

On our way to Sequioa national park, we decided to have a breakfast at this location. We both ordered Bear's choice. Wife got fruit on the side. Food was good. Restaurant was clean. Our server Eric was pretty good. Very friendly and knowledgeable. Oh. Eric, if you are reading this, my wife says you have great voice. Thank you. read more

We arrived at 5:30 pm and the place was pretty slow. The ambiance is country cute with bears all around. They had a server call in and the definitely affected the wait time to order. The menus is printed on a news paper, we all thought that was cute and old school. The server was very busy and did a wonderful job considering the under staff situation. Now the food, it did not taste fresh or home made. My surf and turf was not cooked correctly and the green bears were canned. The chicken strips tasted like they came from Costco. The chili that came with the tri tip dip tasted canned as well. The only really good thing was the fries and turkey club. The dinner cost over $100 and to me it is not worth it. The food tasted very generic and flavorless. We will not be going back. The server was wonderful, always having a smile on her face and making sure to fill our drinks or check on us. read more

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Stopped in for a late lunch with grandkids after school. It was during their slag period so they we got right in. The staff was very attentive to us and the kids needs. I ordered the lite side pot roast offered with two sides , (mash potatoes and green beans). Kids ordered off the special kid menu complete with crayons and puzzles on back. My wife ordered the chicken strips with a side salad. The pot roast was exceptionally done. Well except I might offer that they scrap the mashed potatoes and green beans and put more carrots, potatoes and stuff on the plate with the roast beef. It really didn't need anything else. As for the chicken strips they were done really well And fresh. The salad was cold and very appetizing. read more

We were seated immediately (before after church rush) and were served right away. We received our food quickly and the waitress was attentive and helpful. The food was good and satisfied our appetites (even my picky young sons!). The atmosphere was quiet, but it was before the morning rush. read more

Oh no! A bad experience today at Black Bear Diner! We entered at 1030am (party of 5) and waited a full HOUR to get food. Food was warm at best, fries were burnt...you get the picture! The manager was called over to voice our complaints and his attitude was, meh, whatever. Usually Black Bear Diner is a great destination for breakfast but today for an early lunch was a bad idea. This year, 2025, Black Bear Diner is celebrating its 30th anniversary, hopefully this isn't typical of the bad direction Black Bear is going. read more

We haven't eaten here in a long while. I remember it being pretty decent, so we decided to stop here. I don't think we will be returning anytime in the near future. It was $84 for the three of us that's with the tip. No problem paying for good food, but this wasn't worth the money. The fries, both the regular and sweet potato were limp and no flavor. There was actually nothing exceptional about any of the food. Server was nice. That's why it's three stars instead of two. Now I read reviews about cockroaches? I wish I would've read that before we visited. 1-14-24 read more

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Don't be fooled by the all you can eat fish, When my plate was put in front of me I could smell the fish! You don't smell fresh fish. I peeled the breading off and found the fish to be 1/4 inch thick while the breading was at least 3/8 inch thick. The fish did not taste good. My wife couldn't even finsh her 2 pieces because of the taste. read more

The best I can say about this restaurant is "Meh". Needing a place for lunch, we stopped here. There aren't many options other than the usual fast food joints. The place is in need of an upgrade and a very deep cleaning. It looks like not much has been done in twenty years or so. The menu is the usual burgers, sandwiches and salads which are just fine, with also a variety of seafood, for example oysters, which I personally would never get here. I love that stuff but would question the freshness. I settled on a tuna salad sandwich with a cole slaw on the side. What could be so bad about that. It was just marginally acceptable. The marbled rye bread was OK, toasted, but the tuna salad was primarily a watered-down dressing with small chunks of tasteless tuna and other stuff, celery and all. I like tuna salad, but this was totally wet, drippy, and bland. The cole slaw was a nice portion of cabbage, carrots, and the usual, all fresh, but the dressing was just glopped on the top, not mixed in, and running down the side of the bowl. I washed it down with an iced tea, which was just OK. What was totally funny was the size of the sandwich and slaw on the huge platter, totally lost on it. To be honest, I do not remember anything about the service, so that leads me to think it was in no way memorable or friendly. If you need a bite to eat, this may be the place, but perhaps look elsewhere. read more

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Just had the patty melt and chocolate pie. Awesome!!! Always great food and service. read more

Just left Black Bear, worst service ever. We got Rajwinder as a server. After waiting for 45min our food never came. Because she forgot to put it in. If you and get her, just aware she low and doesn't attend to her tables read more

First time eating here in several years, last few times we just felt the prices were just too high. Heard they lowered them a bit so we gave em another shot. We walked and were excited to be back, I love the bear theme inside and it smelled delicious! Looked over the menu and the prices did seem to come down a little or maybe we just got used to everything been so expensive! I ordered the bacon and eggs with biscuits and gravy. My son ordered large chicken fried steak and eggs and wife got the bacon and eggs with French toast. Hate to say this but our server was awful like really bad at forgetting everything- it was almost comical! Coffee was ok. Food comes out and what a disappointment!!! Unbelievably bland! My biscuits were made with such cheap ingredients they felt like a dollar loaf of bread, gravy was so plain even after several rounds of salt and pepper still bland. Bacon was soggy and had a very cheap taste and texture. We left so much food on our plates the server got the hint when told him no need for to go boxes. My son who is a human human garbage disposal didn't even eat half his food!! Very hard to pay a food bill when everyone at the table was unhappy with the taste and quality of their food! Corporate needs to look themselves in the mirror about whatever corners they're cutting because there will be no return visit from us! read more

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Great food, nice atmosphere good on the price service was amazing. Always have had a good meal and friendly service in town, even at the one up north. Nice place to go and sit down and enjoy a good meal with family. read more

I always love getting breakfast here. Vanessa our waitress was absolutely fantastic and helped us with anything we wanted and more. She even informed me that they offer deep fried hash browns which made my day. I ordered their Bigfoot chicken fried steak and eggs with yes deep fried hash browns and a side of bacon. The Wife got their Parmesan Sourdough Cheeseburger with fries. We also got a fresh batch of biscuits and gravy, yum. They also offer cold brew coffee drinks which my wife loved. The ambience is a classic diner with bears and a gift shop. Thanks again Black Bear Diner and especially Vanessa for a wonderful meal. I'm a Platinum customer for sure. read more

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Hello, Yelper's, it's been a while. Back from an assignment, and came into Bakersfield hungry. We went to Black Bear Diner. Huge restaurant. Cute newspaper type menu. The selection for breakfast is massive. Lots to choose from. I had homemade sausage patties with sunny side eggs, grits, and a biscuit and gravy. My hubby had his usual veggie omelet and french toast, to share. We were so hungry we dug right in. Sorry, Yelper's, next time I'll grab pictures for you. The grits had no salt. Unfortunate, as a little salt goes a long way to infusing flavor. The French toast wasn't fluffy. Maybe overcooked? My hubby loved his omelet. Filled with every veggie under the sun. Crispy potatoes. My sausage was delish. I had 3 medium sized patties. Biscuit was huge and fluffy. Gravy was ok. Our server, Joseph, was super attentive and has a great sense of humor. He has history on the restaurant, so it was nice to hear their evolution. If you want terrific service, ask to sit in Joseph's section. Big parking lot. A very nice family environment. Make sure you live kids, as there are children with all diners. Loud, but cheerful. I really liked the service. We'll come back and try their lunch or dinner menu. read more

I had lunch here on saturday and it was an outstanding experience. I frequently eat at this chain, but this particular restaurant was exceptional. In addition to delicious food and ample portions we had incredible service. It was actually better than i've had in some high end restaurants. Our server's name was Joseph and he was extremely attentive often anticipating our needs. He didn't hover he just kept an eagle on our table. What was also impressive was that the whole staff worked together to make sure that we had everything we needed and that our food was served promptly and was to our liking. I give very high marks to this restaurant and hope that management makes this restaurant a model for their whole chain. read more

I always get great food here. The service is great and the food comes hot and fresh. The bacon and French toast is delicious. read more

I have been coming to Black Bear Diner for a few a years now, and I absolutely recommend this restauran. The food is DELICIOUS and the waiters/waitress have amazing customer service. Jaime, is one that I loved being served by. He is always in such a great mood, he's funny, respectful, and an amazing server. read more