Second time eating at the restaurant. Definitely a family restaurant. Totally old school. Will be a regular when I visit Davis.

Awesome breakfast! Our first visit yesterday and we were very impressed. Very good service was friendly and always kept our coffee mugs filled. The food was amazing, I was very hungry and ordered "The Grizz" (was totally full afterwards). My wife ordered the waffle and my son ordered the pancakes. Great experience! Make sure you arrive early or you will have to wait to be seated. read more

See all

This diner hit it on all levels! Their service and food were amazing! The portion sizes are large so beware when ordering. Our server, Chung, was friendly and super helpful! Thanks Chung! The food was delicious! Those humongous biscuits were light and fluffy. The gravy tasted like somebody's grandma made it. Yum! The housemade sausage was really fresh and good. Great food and service = we will be back! Thanks Black Bear Diner! We didn't have to wait too long for our food. The coffee was good. read more

See all

Black Bear Diner is a down home style restaurant that serves large portions of food at reasonable prices. It is founded on principles that are strong and noble. Although I really want to like Black Bear, it just falls short in too many areas. Black Bear diner is a restaurant with a lot of fun and neat features. There are interesting things to look at all around the restaurant. Visually Black Bear has a busy, but engaging style that gives the feeling of an outdoors camp. The menus are made to look like an old newspaper... they even are on the same type of newspaper paper. Pretty unique for sure. While the style of Black Bear is charming, everything else about the restaurant is just average. The best time to go to Black Bear Diner is for breakfast. Their breakfast is pretty decent and compares similarly to that of Denny's or IHOP. The Black Bear breakfasts are hearty and filling. The sausages that I had were juicy and plump - surprisingly girthy! The bacon was of the thick cut variety. I love bacon just like everyone else... but I actually prefer a thinner, crispier bacon than the ones I got today. I requested that my eggs come over-medium, but when they arrived it was more like over easy. Also, the pancakes were a bit too sweet for my liking. So while there are positives, I would say the things that detract can't be ignored. My worst experience at Black Bear Diner was during dinner. I was daring and got the meatloaf that night. I'll just say this... is meatloaf supposed to have a sour taste to it? Skip lunch and dinner. If you're going to go to Black Bear, just go for an ok breakfast with hearty portions. I can't say too much about the non-breakfast items... but avoid the meatloaf! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - California omelette. - American Near Me - Davis, California

See all

Everyone's friendly, but the service overall was not great, asked for the check 3 different times from 3 different servers, never got it. had to walk to the front and ask for the check. food came out cold and wasn't even that great. read more

Door dash customer. Love their salad. Everything is fresh, and they pack a huge amount of bleu cheese sauce for me lol

Me and my roommate were DESPERATELY itching for a tuna melt on a Sunday night to get us through finals. All places we looked for were closed. We overlooked Black Bear Diner at first, however after trying their tuna melt we will NEVER make that mistake again. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with amazing hospitality and a warm and welcoming environment. Unfortunately we got our sandwiches to go, but as soon as we got in the car to drive home, we wished we ate there. DEFINITELY will be back again soon. read more

Came into Black Bear this afternoon and the food is always on point! Joe, our server, was amazing! He not only took care of our table but everyone in our section. A busy afternoon but he nailed it! Super friendly, kind and upbeat! read more

Came here after a 1 hour and 45 minute walking tour at UC Davis and was starving! Good thing EVERYTHING served here comes in a huge portion. Even the side salads lol. The menu was huge as well; I actually had to ask the waitress for more time, which doesn't happen very often with me. I ended up getting the Joe Hobo omelette with country potatoes and a biscuit, and my dad got the Big Bear Burger (cheese added), a salad, and a side of onion rings. It was 1:45 and the lunch crowd was still huge, but our meal came out pretty fast and our waitress was very nice and had a good sense of humor. My meal was awesome, especially the biscuit. Definitely try it with some jam. The omelette itself was good; I only wish it had a little more spinach. Onion rings: good batter and not too salty. I can't comment on the burger, but it was huge! My dad said it was good though. I think I'll go try the Black Bear diner in Tracy now, since it's a little closer to home. Pancakes up next! Why would I ever go to IHOP again... Black Bear Diner has better (and more) food for an average of $1 more per plate. What's not to love? read more

See all

Vanilla ice cream over fresh, warm brownie topped with fudge syrup is Oh M Gee DELISH! Entree portions are huge! Servers at this franchise restaurant are attentive and nice! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Ice cream over warm, fresh brownie topped with fudge syrup! - American Near Me - Davis, California

My Chicken Strips meal was very big, with four big strips and tons of fries. Everyone else that commented on the chicken strips loved them, so perhaps the kitchen just overcooked mine. My strips were rough and tough, but the fries were cooked perfectly. The order comes with a sauce, but they were happy to bring BBQ and Ranch (both good). Plenty to choose from on the breakfast and lunch menu. The person next to me ordered the "Bigfoot Country Fried Steak & Eggs," which was enormous, and plenty to take home for your next couple of meals! Black Bear Diner is a step above your average chain diner. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Chicken Strips and Fries - American Near Me - Davis, California

I had poached eggs. They were just right! Friendly service. Welcoming. Comfortable seating. I love a place where I can have simple good food. read more

11:00 am on a Saturday and 30 min wait even though many open tables. Not allowed to sit at the open bar seating. Moody manager. Save your time and go somewhere else. read more

The place wasn't busy ( about four tables and two waiters. Not sure how many cooks. The food just seemed thrown together. The picture on the menu Vs reality was sad. My kids pointed out that it looked nothing like a bear lol . A little sloppy cubcake no thanks. No real complaints about the special "Mother's Day Omelet " it was okay. Overall It was nice not having to make breakfast for once. Not worth the time or money. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Mother's Day /California Omelette (480 cals.) - American Near Me - Davis, California

See all

I've been here many times--mostly for breakfast, which is considerably better than lunch and dinner. They have an extensive menu and portions are huge. No. Seriously. Portions are HUGE. You can bring some home. A lot home. Service has always been really good. To be honest, Black Bear serves diner food--that's not always a bad thing. If you are looking for fine dining, or a good bar go somewhere else. If you are hungry, this is the place for you. Here is one really WEIRD thing---they don't serve sour cream. At all. Why? A dispute with a vendor (not short-term--its been this way for many months). I get that they might have a vendor who sells it too high a price, but seriously---there are two Safeways, two Nuggets and a Save Mart in this town. Pre-covid, you had to wait for a table if you went on a weekend morning--no biggie. ***COVID considerations (I am not including these in all of my reviews): This was an unfortunate fail. I didn't even finish my breakfast. First, the table was dirty. It had crumbs and dirt on it. CLEANLINESS IS SO IMPORTANT right now. When I saw it, I took out my hand sanitizer, wiped down the table with a napkin and it was GROSS. Like filthy. I showed the server and he told me it was likely because the tables had stayed out over night. Given that I cleaned up crumbs, I don't think that was the entirety of the problem. When what guests see is dirty, I worry about what guests can't see. Tables were spaced about six feet apart. They are in the parking lot. It isn't crowded. HOWEVER--I ended up getting swarmed by bees (many, many bees) and since I am allergic, I had to leave before finishing my breakfast. I realize that they don't have control over nature--but I suspect this could be an ongoing problem, so if you're allergic, beware. read more

If you plan on eating here please be prepared for the HUGE Portions! Seriously, the food portions are made for giants! I have always enjoyed going here with the family for brunch. It is a pleasant diner that serves breakfast all day. The menu that is in the form of an old newspaper press release it quite interesting. Among my favorites are the Grizzle Breakfast with no meat (since I don't eat pork) I order a side of corn beef hash. The order comes with two eggs any style, hash browns and a choice of biscuit or pancakes. The Fried chicken dish was o.k. It personally, looked better than it tasted but I still enjoyed it. The salad we ordered was good enough to share for the four of us. Their milkshake is so creamy and delectable. I know most people can make a milkshake, but these guys got the recipe right! I either get that or a hot chocolate. Either one generally satisfies my palate Each time I have eaten here, I have sampled my family dishes such as the sweet creme waffle and the fried fish and mashed potatoes. Each bite was solid! Love this little place: good food, good customer service and a friendly atmosphere ;-) read more

See all

This place is disgusting. I wanted to leave, but the people I was with wanted to stay. It's filthy, the hostess/waitress with the furry coat and furry eyelashes was rude. She sat us at a dirty booth, crumbs on table and seat. Asked her to clean it, and she did a couple wipes with a dirty dish rag. Plus, she seemed annoyed by the request. Overheard another customer saying the same thing. Food arrived,hash browns looked like reheated leftovers, inedible. Floor was filthy too. Broken crayons, many food particles, not sure when the last time they bothered vacuuming. My friend ended up getting sick. DO NOT eat here! read more

See all

Came here with a group of friends for brunch around 10 AM, it was surprisingly crowded, but we were seated in around 15 min. They have seating on 2 sides of restaurant, so its good for big crowds. The atmosphere is like a typical forest like American Diner, with wooden chairs and bear logos everywhere. They have a big selection of items on their menu, and offer breakfast, lunch, or dinner any time of the day. :) My personal favorite is the chicken fried steak, smothered with gravy with a choice of potatoes and toast or biscuit. I decided to be a little healthier today and got the southern scramble, with 2 biscuits and gravy with sausage and country potatoes. Food took around 15 min to arrive and it was piping hot. The biscuits are warm and fluffy and the gravy was so creamy~ The potatoes are also nice and crisp with a good amount of saltiness. They also have a wide selection of hot sauces, jam, and creamer on each table. With a cup of coffee, the price was $13.50, but its worth the price since portion sizes are huge, I could only finish half of the dish. Overall, Black Bear has a friendly staff, good atmosphere, and huge food portions. I want to try one of their lunch items the next time I come here. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Southern scramble with country potatoes ($9.69) - American Near Me - Davis, California

Wasn't expecting much as far as the food, but was surprised that their service is even worse than the food! My waiter Ty couldn't be bothered to speak or even pretend to smile. The cashier rang me up and walked away without a word before the transaction was complete. It's been about 10 years since I've been to a Black Bear Diner and now that I remember why I don't eat here, maybe I'll wait 20 years this time. read more

This place gets more and more popular as it goes on! My wife and I went here a couple weekends ago and had a delicious breakfast. It was insanely busy and the wait was supposed to be around 30 minutes but we were seated in about 15 minutes. We were seated and promptly received the water and coffee we requested. Their portion sizes are more than generous I thoroughly enjoy the amount of food I receive. The quality is not sacrificed even though the quantity is larger than most places. Their biscuits are amazing too. I usually request getting the biscuit ahead of time because I like to eat it while I drink my coffee and the waitress always accommodates that request. Their hot sauce is one of my favorites. I love the Baby Burn hot sauce. The flavor is delicious and it has a nice touch of heat. Their other ones are good too but Baby Burn is my favorite with my breakfast. My go-to order is now Joe's Hobo Omelette. It has ham, link sausage, thick-cut smoked bacon, jack cheese, cheddar cheese, spinach and onion. My wife likes sweets and usually orders the Cinnamon French Toast. Both are scrumptious. I remember going to the Black Bear Diner in Shasta when I was little and it used to be a treat because it was so good and we were not able to go much. I am so happy they have expanded and I believe they deserve it because they do not skimp on quality, quantity, and their staff is always very nice and professional. I am happy that they're even able to get a commercial in during the Super Bowl! Last year they had a two second ad and now they've evolved to about 10 seconds! I cheer every time I see it. Keep it up Black Bear! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Cinnamon French Toast - wife's favorite! - American Near Me - Davis, California

See all

(Review based on dishes I tried!) Just came here my friends for brunch and shared 2 plates with one of my friends: "Bear's Choice," $8.99 the waffles were okay - just like any other waffles (I like the ones at Benardos better because they are crunchier on the outside), the sunnyside eggs were tad bit undercook because one of the yolks still had runny white around the sides and also had 2 sausage links, but other than that it was a decent and satisfying if you're craving something both sweet and savory. "California Benedict"- $10.50 this was actually my first time trying a Egg's Benedict at a diner, but it was pretty darn good - The egg benedict came with hollandaise sauce, avocados, bacon, tomato & spinach it would have been perfect if the poached egg was runny, but it was fully cooked :/ This dish also came with the option of hashbrowns and fresh fruits. Overall, it was a very satisfying meal. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - California Egg Benedict! - American Near Me - Davis, California

See all

Big portions! You get what you paid for and maybe a lot more. I got the chicken apple sausage 2 eggs combo and had it with hash browns and a biscuit. Biscuit was fluffy and light and was a great addition to counter the sodium in the sausage and eggs. Hash browns were nice and crispy and so so good. Sausage was a little bit salty but was still good. I do wish we could have fruit included but it was an either or. I did have that one orange slice though. Be prepared for a food coma afterwards. Great place for meeting with a group of friends or your family. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Chicken apple sausage 2 egg combo with biscuit and hash browns - American Near Me - Davis, California

I've been going to Black Bear for a very long time, for so long that one of the waitresses actually recognizes me and my SO! If you crave an American breakfast, Black Bear definitely hits the spot. My usual dishes are the taco salad and the chicken fried steak. The more gravy, the better! They also have mini pies that you can share with a friend (or with yourself if you're down to be super gluttonous). If you're part of their rewards program, you're the first to know about any new dishes they have. You also get a special treat when it's your birthday! My absolute favorite part of Black Bear is their Parmesan chips dish. I love chips and I love Parmesan, so this dish makes me happy! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Taco salad - American Near Me - Davis, California

Only chain restaurant i will consider. Like the breakfast options and they deliver what the menu promises. Servers are professional and attentive even when customers are outside. Call first to verify outside dining offered. read more

Was seated and waited 15 minutes and was not approached by a waiter. A group gets sat directly next to us and was asked what they wanted to order within 2 minutes. Completely ridiculous. I'm guessing the hiring shortage hit this place too since they clearly couldn't find anyone competent. read more

Nadia was our server. Benedict cooked like half boiled egg. Chicken fried steak is cooked and hard to chew. Hash brown requested crispy, and it's burned. Not happy with visit today. Server is biatch as you could get. Not coming back. read more

There are many places to choose in Davis that are not a chain restaurant, but this place does have the feel that it is the only one. It makes you feel as if you are in a very cozy coffee shop. We have been several times and the food is consistently good and just as ordered. They are friendly and easy going. It is a great place for families and you can definitely plan to share plates and still leave full. read more

This was my first time visiting a black bear diner. I Came in for brunch while I was visiting friends in davis! I really loved the fact that everything about this place was about the bears and love the wood decor throught the resturant. I also love the fact that the menu was actually printed on a newspaper and everything was just so creative. I'm a fidgety person so I got some time to fiddle with everything and see the mama bear, papa bear and baby bear hot sause that was on the table. How cute is that? So i actually realized that I messed up and ordered orange juice and then decided that I wanted lunch after I placed the order for orange juice but I decided to just roll with it! I was so glad I did beacuse the orange juice was actually fresh pressed and yummy! The bacon cheeseburger was actually done to perfection and I had no issue woofing it down. Our server was so nice and friendly. She actually talked to us alot which was cool and knew the history of the resturant. I am so happy to have found this wonderful little place! I will deffinatly be back! read more

See all

They always serve BURNT food. I'm never coming back to this location because the cooks are incompetent. If you want good food, go to the one in Woodland. read more

We've been eating takeout for years and over the past couple years the food has suffered. Hard biscuits, burnt hash browns to no condiments.

Always a family favorite when driving through Davis. Never a long wait. Breakfast. Lunch. Friendly service. Good food. LOTS OF FOOD! read more

My uncle stopped by this restaurant excepting a nice meal but instead was treated horribly. A woman server was helping him & had treated my uncle horribly. His food came cold, and when asked if it can be reheated, the server said "you are being rude". Confused on how that is being rude but ok. Service horrible and food cold. Dont come here! read more

Love love love this place!!! We celebrated an anniversary there! Definitely go and try it out!

This was my second time at Black Bear Diner which is justly famous for its huge portions and low prices. The Davis location is pleasant, clean and the wait staff is perfect--solicitous enough that we wanted for nothing, without hovering, which I hate. I had biscuits and gravy in Iowa a few years back and remembered them fondly and decided to order them. What a disappointment. The sausages that came with the biscuits were lukewarm, and the biscuits were not at all flaky. I could not cut them with a fork, but had to use a knife and half of them were so tough i could not even chew them I only ate half of my breakfast. If there is anything good it's that it has completely removed my craving for biscuits and gravy in the future. I was sorry I had not ordered an egg dish, which looked delicious on my companions' plates. Now I want to return and try something else which will undoubtedly be better. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - note the hard crust on these biscuits. - American Near Me - Davis, California

The last time I dined at a BBD it was over 15 years ago. They still prepare a huge plate and serve it piping hot. I know their pancakes are Delicious and Hearty, so I didn't get them this time haha. The coffee was the right temperature too. Thank you! My only dislike were the country potatoes- I just prefer mine a little more done. The service was so great! Friendly and clearly understood the needs of each table. They are quite accommodating. Private parking is available in two small lots, but plenty of street parking (good for 2 hours). Overall: 4.5 stars read more

Came in with my two friends around 9 it was pretty busy put my name on the list they said it would be about 30-45 mins wait the employee was rude and snappy he said we would get a text when our food was ready so we decided to wait outside after and hour of no text we decided to come check back in with the front and they didn't have us on the list anymore and didn't text us after they said they would sit us down next we continue to wait another 20 mins and sat other people before us super unprofessional and not organized at all! The bathrooms were disgusting and had diarrhea floating in the toilet. I didn't even use the bathroom at that point I just figured this restaurant food is doing something to everyone in the bathroom so I just walked out. Don't come here this place is NASTY! read more

The food is great, service is good, staff is nice. The only things are they messed up my order, but they gave me the real order too and gave me the mistake for free. They also messed up my egg and I found hair in my food. read more

I ordered a burger off of door dash and it was freaking raw in the middle. This is insane. I even left a ten dollar tip at the counter when I picked up because door dash wouldn't let me tip. Hire a new chef. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - A 10 oz burger that is freaking raw in the middle. I didn't even realize until I was almost freaking done! - American Near Me - Davis, California

Very nice atmosphere, quaint, home amosphere. I had corned beef hash n eggs, and banana cream pie for dessert. Great service, free WiFi. I'll be back read more

See all

I've never given a low review before on Yelp, but dinner last Saturday night was marginal at best. Really a sad experience overall. Mushy veggie burger accompanied by mushy fries. A server who couldn't remember to bring me the drinks I ordered (two: water and a milkshake) and then coyly said "don't be mad at me" and forgot to bring me some thousand island! Had to walk to the counter to get my bill and pay. The young woman, who was NOT my server, was friendly and helpful when I was completely ignored during my low quality dinner. Boy, did I choose the wrong restaurant simply for convenience to my hotel! read more