We went for dinner on the 10th and will never go back again. The last couple of times we have gone, the food has been horrible. Spent $60.00 and got food we couldn't eat. My husbands salad has dirt in it, his mashed potatoes were undercooked and too hard to eat. My baked potato was not even hot enough to melt the butter. My granddaughters order was not even given to the cook until after the rest of the food was served. I got my soup after we had finished eating and it literally made me sick. I threw up on the side of the road going home. Before leaving the restaurant, we told the manager and I even pointed out our table to show her that the food had not been eaten. She didn't say she was sorry, she gave us a lousy 5% off the bill. Didn't even cover us going to McDonalds for food we could actually eat. Manager had major bad attitude. I hope the owners are paying attention. If they don't get new cooks and a new manager (that actually gives a damn), they will go out of business just like everything else that has been in that spot. read more

love the burgers, joe is the best server. last time we had to send the 34$ stake back 3 times. they gave us the big one NEVER asked what size we wanted,and there was more fat then meat! even after that they wouldn't even comp out drinks. I used to go there every week. now Ill never go again. not comping a $.30 soda cost them a customer. if they treat a loyal customer like that , im sure i can find a better place to eat a burger. Also they took away teddy Tuesday where kids eat free. you would think with 6 new restraints in town they would try to keep loyal people ..... read more

oh goodness, for a middle-of-the-night-in-the-middle-of-a-long-drive place to eat, nothing could beat this. they have a huge menu with all kinds of stuff from breakfast to salads to steak and their staff is unbelievably nice. it's right off the freeway which is very convenient and their food is tasty. i appreciate the healthy options and smaller portion sizes should you not eat like a backwoodsman. read more

This is my go to favorite for breakfast. The food is delicious and the portions are great. Servers are friendly and prompt. Mornings are busy so wait can be a little long for seating but definitely worth the wait. read more

Black Bear Diner is not my favorite breakfast place in Salinas, but it definitely isn't the worst. :) My family always orders the Chicken Fried Steak, and I have to admit it is pretty good. I often get the Hot Italian Sausage and Eggs, which is good, and I recently got the Southern Scramble (Biscuit, Sausage, Eggs, Gravy) which was pretty good. read more

I doubt this is a local favorite. The service is beyond atrocious. The Windows need cleaning, the utensils need a serious upgrade. Some of the staff, is courteous while the rest needs to go charm school, and have their manners and attitude adjusted. Our waitress beyond f!@$ng horrid. Came and asked if we wanted to order drinks, we asked for another minute. Once we were ready, we waited half an hour and she never asked if we were ready. She kept serving and taking orders from other people around us. Black bear diners finest, right. The damn worst experience I ever had. The worst customer service ever, I will never set foot in this place again. Even if I have to go number two and this is the only place left in the world, nope, won't do it. This place is tacky and distasteful. read more

I love the chicken strips. We've had occasional problems with a lengthy wait time and service problems, but the food is delicious.

Do not eat here. They gave my kids moldy apple slices. They gave me salad dressing bottles--vinegar and oil in grimy dispensers, just covered in gunk, like that stuff on the inside of your Subaru's windshield mixed with dried snot. Can you even imagine what the back of the house that you can't see looks like? I have eaten at several Black Bear Diners, especially while on summer road trips in Norcal. But this one, in Salinas, is more stale-cigarette Denny's than Black Bear. Do not let your navigation system send you here. Do not let friends or family recommend them based on 4 star meals at other locations. Please, for the children: don't. (The hostesses and servers were all very kind BTW.) The one in Weed, CA: thumbs up. This one: Grrrrr. read more

If I was basing this review solely on the food, it would receive one star. The food arrived VERY quickly to our table to the point where I don't see it possible that the food was prepared and cooked when we ordered it and was possibly pre-prepared, frozen, then heated up to serve. The taste of both mine and my husband's dishes was very bland and flavorless. Plus, it was very expensive for the quality that we received... almost $40 for two plates of bland food. However, I'm giving two stars because the wait staff was extremely friendly and took very good care of us during the meal. read more

Ate at the black bear twice and both times for breakfast. Waited a long time for food and when I got it is was cold. This happend both times. I always give restraunts a second chance. Will never be my choice to eat here. read more

Black Bear Diner Salinas is awesome. The food is great, the prices are even better. The staff is so awesome, they make you feel like you're part of the family. I look forward to eating there again read more

Breakfast was great. Had their little less breakfast. Bacon, egg, country potatoes, toast. Everything was cooked perfectly. Our server was very efficient and friendly. She came around with coffee and we didn't have to ask for anything. Overall great experience. read more

Food good before 1pm after that new cook on duty and food is terrible. Servers friendly for most part. A couple of the men servers are not to friendly. read more

My SO and I have made a tradition of getting up early every Saturday and having a hearty breakfast in the morning before starting our weekend. The food is always good and the kind of ample portions that are expected with Black Bear, but the service has gotten so bad we are now driving down the Monterey location instead. Most of the weekend servers could use a crash course customer service. Short, curt attitudes, no smiles, no friendly greetings, lots of standing around laughing and joking with other employees without any focus on the customer. We caught one of the servers bad mouthing customers while they were still in the restaurant. They just recently lost a very vile, toxic manager who we would watch scold employees in front of customers, generally seemed very disorganized and frazzled. It was very awkward to watch and probably contributed to the bad attitudes of the servers that worked there. Perhaps things have changed recently but we aren't going to chance it again. Monterey location is top notch. read more

Eating the prime rib special and enjoying it. Great food and service. Love this place...

I went here for dinner with the family and when we got in, was seated right away. The food was so huge in portion, we had to take some to go. The food was typical American food so don't expect anything exotic. read more

Yesterday was my first time going for breakfast and I was not disappointed! Food was delicious and the service was exceptional! Plates are huge and price is worth it! read more

best meal ever was pot roast omelet but was test item only. bigfoot country fried steak is consistant.pancakes are great.omelets are 4 egg.never had room for dessert. read more

Wow, after reading all the positive comments I would definitely not suggest eating a dinner meal here. The food is overly salty given the choices they had. Drive a little farther on 101 and your choices are plentiful for other meal alternatives. read more

I must say its my favorite breakfast place in town...forget about Dennis or IHOP this place is great....I ordered the Grizzly (I believe its called) it's a Big breafast I must say, it has a little bit of everything from bacon, sausage, ham, and pancakes and eggs annnnd yes there is more hashbrowns =-) everything was good...the hashbrown can use a little more work on them but other than that it was gooooood. Ohhh I must add I love the homemade pudding bread with ice cream it is good. I love it. read more

Good country fried steak and eggs. My wife had a veggie omelet with fruit. No complaints about the food. Little pricy, but good nonetheless. Service could have been better. The waitresses stayed at the breakfast counter talking a lot allowing me to crave more coffee. The music was loud for that early in the morning, but the theme was nice. read more

Good home cooked food. Large selection, friendly service, my family loves their breakfast selections. Yummy french toast and pancakes.

Food here is always great. Large portions that fill you up. Service is a little slow but it's fine. No hurry.

So my husband and I just left here. It was a bit of a nightmare. I'm not sure if they were understaffed or what because there were 5 or 6 empty tables and at least 20-25 people waiting. The waitress was pleasant enough but she was very slow in all of her movements. All the other staff were running circles around her. We ordered our breakfast - he ordered French toast with a side of hash browns - crispy on both sides. I ordered the French toast with a side of breakfast potatoes well done. Off she went with our order. We waited quite awhile and we were okay with that because it was busy. We heard the cook yell that our plates were ready and she was back at the cash register standing around. She finally made her way over to get our food. The French toast was well cooked but not hot - it was lukewarm. His hash browns were crispy but only on one side - the other side wasn't cooked at all. My breakfast red potatoes were not even cooked. I didn't touch my side at all. One of our orders was sprinkled with powdered sugar but the other one wasn't - which isn't a big deal at all but it just shows they aren't paying attention. The waitress should have noticed our full side orders, uneaten but she didn't. As we went to pay, the waitress noticed the looks on our faces and asked us how things were AND told us to be truthful, so we were lol I'm a firm believer in you can't fix but you don't know about. She said the manager reads these so hopefully she does! The waitress who cashed us out, gets a 5-Star rating for telling us to be honest read more

Don't even want to give it one star...... Father's Day, this is where my dad wanted to go, so looking forward to the breakfast, I went in placed my name on the list ask how long twenty minutes tops.... ( one hour), not there fault.... Here lies the first of many problems, I knew who was a head of me, I also ask this question three parties, now all three parties sat down and still nothing, o.k. Fine a table in the Conner to my right was empty for awhile, it could fit the four adults one baby, when it was our turn the hostess stated please follow me, all the way in the back, ummmmm no thank you can I please have that table, she stated o.k. Give me a minute. The waitress in that section came to me and stated that table is already taken someone who was here before you, I don't know who told you, you were next but, no you can not have that table. I told her the truth no one told me I was next, all the folks who where here before me have been seated and helped.. Then she shows me a name higher on the list then mine a name that was crossed out and someone wrote a name on top... I wanted to laugh, seriously.... You wrote over a crossed off name.... Finally and I mean finally the assist manger said right this way and sat us at the table I requested, please understand I am not a difficult person, I am usually go with the fellow type... Also side note my moms a waitress thirty four years strong and my brothers a waiter, five year now. But this got me.... Your really going to battle me on a seat.... Finally where seated, then nothing this is our punishment, she was our waitress..... The hostess walks by, no drinks no nothing she looks at us and state not one has help you..... Let me get you another waiter... Thank you by the way Jacob was awesome.... He knew what had happen he saw and heard it all, he was the one to seat us... He went above always checking on us & at the end when the bill came he gave us 25% off.... He didn't have too and for this I am greatful..... I haven't gone back to black bear since Father's Day... I now what your thinking ok only has been a couple of weeks, we were regulars!!! Seriously the staff recognized us as a unit and by ourselves, they ask where the others where if they didn't come they knew our order drink & meal... Yes twice a week minimum.... Now almost a month later and I have no want to go back.... Kind of over it.... read more

I had eaten at the Black Bear Diner in St. George, UT and had a great experience. Not so much here. The food was good, but the wait staff was below par. Slow service, lots of standing around and chatting, zooming with boyfriends in front of the customers. They really need to light a fire under the staff here. read more

My Bf picked breakfast up for us today on sunday april 22nd. I asked him to pick us up one of those bear claws, which he did.... when I went to open the wrapped up claw I noticed the thursday sticker on the back. I still continued to open it up and the damn 6.00$ bear claw was so dry and old it fell apart the second I opened it. It was so dry and disgusting our dog was like hell no and she eats anything! Not only did thier breakkfast suck balls but seriously??? You sell a 4 day old dry ass bear claw for 6.00$ disgusting! Never again will we eat there again. read more

This place is amazing! We came here because we heard their milkshakes were insanely delicious. It was a Sunday afternoon and they just ran out of ice cream, so our waitress actually ran out and bought ice cream just so they could make us the ice cream shakes we were craving! I'm so impressed with their customer service. The waitress went way above and beyond our expectations. I am so impressed! We will definitely be back. read more

Good food, great portions, but my server wasn't so attentive. But, there was another server there, blonde hair female, she was very very helpful. So I tipped her. But overall food was delicious!!!! Can't complain. read more

I love the food at this place. Unfortunately, I did not get to taste any food last night. We were seated in the back near a drafty door and it was cold. We asked to be reseated and that was our mistake. We were reseated in another room and for the next 15-20 minutes were pointedly ignored by 2 servers while they went about serving several tables around us. No eye contact - nothing. Eventually we got the hint and left. Another waitress wished us a good evening. read more

the best chicken fried steak . we've been going there for a long time the services fast The atmosphere is casual and the service is great

Black Bear diner has lost its family atmosphere due to the the way management treats there waitresses. There manager there needs to improve her customer service skills. She also needs to be less bossy and rude. I think that it is time to switch the managers at black bear to different locations or begin to retrain some of there current ones. Remember it's not management that brings in the customers nor the food, but it is the great customer service that you receive from the waitress. read more

Pretty bad experience. Started off with waiting 10 minutes until they would finally put our name on the waiting list for a table( it was a busy Thursday evening). We get seated and start looking at the menus. 15 minutes later our waiter still hasn't come to even take our drink order. We finally got around to ordering, and were served our appetizers fast (2 cup of soups, 1 salad) which our waitress put together by the counter. After waiting another 25-30 minutes for the food we tried calling our waitress. She pretended to not see us while she actually put in our entrees orders at the moment because she had forgotten about us and our food(we had ordered the bbq ribs, tuna salad, meatloaf and Bigfoot chicken steak) Only service we got while waiting was her slamming 2 drink refills on our table not even looking at us. When we finally called her over to ask about where our food was she answered "can't you see we are busy?!" In a very snappy attitude. When we finally got our food you could taste and see it having been very rushed(see pic attached our Bigfoot chicken steak). Too much sauce, dry meat. It was so bad I couldn't finish. At the end we got offered free pies as an apology which was nice, but I still give 2 stars because of food quality and service. read more

The food was not too bad but the service was awful. The waitress seemed bothered by our presence and never came back to check on us, so the free refills on the soft drinks are pointless. I have been thoroughly disappointed with my recent experiences at restaurants and diners in the Monterey area. read more

Christmas eve dinner to go ,since they were closing... almost closing... they served the best food and kept customers that were coming in happy and seated, even though they were going to close. I noticed the owner, or manager come in, making sure all was well and running smooth! My food came fast and was very good. Thank you all for staying over on a special holiday for the people that do not have a family or event to go to, even though they may have. All of the servers had a smile on there face, and gladly accommodated everyone. Thank you!! read more

We haven't eaten here in a couple of years, only because the wait time is excessive to get a chair, and also to get the food served once we order. The food is usually good to very good and the serving staff friendly and outgoing. Fortunately Black Bear has several locations and one is not far away from this one.....in Monterey on Freemont St. That is our favorite Black Bear. Plenty of space and the service and time it takes to get served is better that the Black Bear in Salinas. Gilroy is another good option for a Black Bear Diner. Food and service there is good to very good there as well. Those two Black Bear's deserve 5 stars. read more

HORRIBLE SERVICE!!! Melody was our waitress and she couldn't have cared about us any less! My friends and I went there and it was very slow inside, not crowded at all. After a reasonable amt of time we got seated and ordered right away, we waited WELL OVER an hour and 45 minutes for our simple food. We pretty much all got the same thing, not complicated at all. The large group next to us ordered around the same time and were able to get their food, eat, pay AND leave the restaurant all before we even got our food. FINALLY after almost 2 hours of waiting with NO apology from our waitress, melody, we get out food except my friend did not receive her's for ANOTHER 20+ minutes and then once she got it she had to wait ANOTHER 10 for her simple eggs! Waited too long for even a simple water refill. I would have rather stayed hungry than eaten at this place. Worst service of my life. And being a prior waitress I tried to be patient, but there were no excuses. It was slow, horrible and quite rude service. We will not be returning read more

My boyfriend and I came in this morning around 11:00. We waited 45 minutes to be seated, which wasn't the worst part. We then ordered around 11:50 and sat there until about 12:40 with no coffee refills and no check back from the server. My boyfriend at that point was very upset, had to be at work in 30 minutes and wanted to leave since we had been there almost 2 hours with no food and less than adequate service. Had the server checked on us we might have been able to communicate that our food was taking a while and she could have told the cooks that they hadn't made our food yet. We were sitting right by the food window and watched as multiple orders went out without single a sign of our food. We sat in our booth with empty cups and nothing else to talk about but how hungry and irritated we were so we asked to pay for our drinks so we could leave. I do although appreciate that they did not charge for our drinks, but had we been acknowledged a little earlier it could have made a world of a difference. I had to eat at subway instead and that really sucks after you are expecting French toast :( read more