This place is the closest to a home cooked meal as can be! It's clean, nice service, and not outrageously priced. The money you spend is well worth the quantity. Yum yum yummy 😋

A great family restaurant in Gateway Plaza mall in Vallejo. My wife and I came in late evening on a Wednesday (11/15/23) and didn't know what to expect. I was not looking for country comfort food but didn't mind the change of pace. (A little background on me, I mainly enjoy ethnic foods but was raised in Kentucky and also happen to enjoy country food, it's just not my first choice.) I was more than pleasantly surprised by the service, food and atmosphere. I ordered the Bigfoot chicken fried steak and eggs with home fries. I asked for extra gravy to make my own biscuits 'n gravy since it came with buttermilk biscuits. The buttermilk biscuits were almost the size of a softball. The fried steak was a 10oz steak. I'm a big guy and I couldn't finish all of it in one meal. The gravy was also done right. I'm going to get up on my soapbox, but I'm of the opinion that the gravy should NOT have meat in it. I feel that some places use the meat to cover up the fact that the gravy is not tasty or cooked well. But not here! The gravy here was perfect! Peppery but not too peppery. I had a tall glass of the huckleberry lemonade which just set everything off well. As far as service, we were attended by a gracious server. I wish I could remember his name but he deserves a raise. He was the only server I saw and we were there around closing. He made great suggestions, checked in on us just often enough, and even went out of his way to make sure I got exactly what I wanted to eat, just the way I wanted to eat it. I thank him and management should do more than just thank him. As far as decor, just imagine any family restaurant that had the word 'bears' in the name that your family took you to back in the 80s. Lots of wood carved with bear shapes and bear word puns etched everywhere. A great place to visit with the grandkids and tell them about the time you wrestled a bear with your 'bare' hands (see what I said there). Go check it out!

Always a great stopping point for us. Hubby had steak and eggs. Perfectly cooked. I had steak and baked potato. Again, perfect. Medium rare, juicy, great baker, and my salad was fresh and crisp. We'll be back again.

A fine example of good old American food available in Vallejo. Jose the manager Max or server and Kayden who brought us coffee were exemplary in their service and kindness to our family and the family joining us for dinner. I knew it would be a good deal before I came, and wasn't let down at all. I will definitely come back again this will become one of our regular spots, good people, good food, good service. This is exactly what I've come to expect at Black Bear restaurant.

I had the $10.99 breakfast special and coffee. The food was good, the coffee was hot and the server was friendly. The price was good for what I got (though everything is expensive these days!). I'll be going again. October 2025 update. Today I had the avocado toast with an extra egg. Very nice. If you are above a certain age, ask for the AARP discount.

The best Thanksgiving dinner in the Bay Area and the waitress was super gentle and helpful. By far, a great dinner experience.

Perfect place for anyone. We've just came from 4 day camping in Yosemite, so the decoration and bear theme was a perfect background for us. Meals are delicious, and quite big so you will not leave hungry. I recommend 2 egs combo for breakfast! It is amazing!

Our time was great food is always good

Great fast service, even during a pandemic. Very friendly environment and they care that your in comfort. The food is amazing and served fresh.

Yummy ordered a Rubin :) it was on point !

Great place! Love the food, the service was very caring and friendly, the atmosphere peaceful. Had a great lunch with a friend, ordered the chicken club sandwich-very filling and good. With an endless black coffee with honey. Forgot to take fotos but it was very nice!

Had the big bear burger and it didn't disappoint. Highly recommend

This place was phenomenal. The food was great the service was fast and it was delicious in general. Bought the huge dinner platter of steak. I couldn't ask for a better dish.

The biscuits and gravy were fantastic 👏 nice place to bring your family and friends

+5

After a terrible experience at another restaurant in Pinole last week, we stopped in here & had a really nice experience. The host & server were very friendly & efficient. The food was 100% better than last week. The restaurant is very clean & has a pleasant & family friendly atmosphere. We look forward to coming back!

Good food at a great price. Natasha was a very conscientious, customer oriented server, and we were blessed to have her serve us.

It was the constitatly good lac k Bear Fare. The waitress was quite good and helpful...good experience We even found a parking spot for our RV right in the back...perfect.

Black bear is my favorite place to eat. Price are very reasonable and friendly staff. Good food. I like the oreo cream cookies shake and blackened Salmon.

+2

I've visited 5 Black Bear Diners in Nevada and one in St George Utah the Vallejo Black Bear Diner is at the same level of the others I've visited. The staff was friendly and service was good. Food options are varied and well presented with large portions. It's a child friendly place with American style comfort food. Breakfast foods are available all day and there are many dessert options. A large variety of beverages are available including shakes.

Brad

The experience at Black Bear Diner is supreme. You'll go there and realize "Wow" wishing all other diners would serve great food as there. As well, the service and atmosphere is beyond great!

JB 17

It was a good day. Our server - I wish I remembered her name - the friendliest, kindest, most helpful server I’ve had in a long time. Food was cooked spot on. Thank you

J

The food was absolutely delicious. Compliments to the kitchen staff for a job well done! The service was just as impressive. We were greeted with genuine smiles and made to feel welcome right away. Our server checked in often, ensuring everything was perfect without ever being intrusive. From start to finish, we were very impressed. Black Bear Diner delivered both amazing food and outstanding hospitality, and we can’t wait to come back!

Victor “VIC 707” C

Stopped by to get a breakfast and got the GRIZZ with waffle instead of pancakes. Enjoyed my food. Also their hashbrown is different from what you usually get. Bacon was thick and eggs were big, hot sauce makes it 😋 👌

Vanessa Engineer

Wonderful place my boyfriend abd our friends had a good time.

Liz Mazari

I came with my family for brunch, and our server, Linda, was wonderful. We were seated, and she quickly came to take our drink orders and let us know she'd be back in a few minutes to take our order. The food came out in a pretty timely manner, considering what we ordered. Everything was delicious, and the best part was that my little one got a little dessert at the end.

The Logan’s

Black Bear Diner – Amazing Breakfast Experience! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My wife and I stopped by Black Bear Diner in Vallejo for breakfast, and we couldn’t have been happier with our experience. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly by the hostess and seated right away. The service was top-notch—both the waitress and hostess were super friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. Our food came out quickly, and it looked incredible. I’m happy to report it tasted just as amazing as it looked! The gravy was among the best I’ve ever had—rich, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. My scrambled eggs with tomatoes, green peppers, and spinach were cooked to perfection, exactly the way I like them. My wife ordered the French toast, and it was spot on—light, fluffy, and full of flavor. Each bite was a treat, and we both agreed it was a 10 out of 10 experience. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, making it a great place to enjoy a relaxing breakfast. If you’re in Vallejo and looking for a delicious meal with great service, Black Bear Diner is definitely worth a visit. We’ll be back next time we’re in town!

+4

Andrew Keel

Food and service was on point. We definitely enjoyed our brunch. We will be back.

+2

Bob Morris

We're back again. Great breakfast of chicken fried steak. We shared the meal and still had food to go. The service was perfect. The food is good as always. The ribs was just right and tasty. The extra purchased corn muffin hit the spot. The salmon was cooked just right and still soft and delicious. We got a berry pie to go. Check out the pies you want and order them before you eat your dinner. The reason being was that I wanted an apple pie, but they were sold out. Plenty of food and the price was $40 for the two meals, including the tax.

+46

Miolasy Suarez

The food was excellent. Big portions and fast service. We were a party of 6 and went on a Saturday around 11am and got a table in less than 15 minutes.

El Salsero Sanchez (Salsero)

Very laid-back place. I ordered the ribs and tips with fries and garlic bread dinner, and it was really good. The ribs were very flavorful. The waitress was very helpful. She was on point with her attentiveness and never let my iced tea cup on empty. The decor to the restaurant is pretty cool and fits the description of the name. The outdoor benches are nice and sturdy. Will definitely come back and hopefully try their breakfast items.

+1

Kush Manchanda

The tri-tip dip was really well cooked and I added my salad ranch dressing to it to spice it up, which made it even better! And to finish it up, I got the cheesecake pudding- cheesecake on top of graham cracker and woth chocolate sauce on top of it. Would recommend this Black Bear Diner

+3

Tiffany Flores

DELICIOUS! First time Black Bear Diner customer & already excited to come back. Loved the branding experience. Our server Theresa was awesome! She was professional, extremely welcoming, friendly, & funny! Large Homemade biscuits! Try with Butter & Honey. Yummy! Everything was flavorful. Portions were on the larger size. Everyone was satisfied. If you like cold milk, you can ask for milk with your meal & the glass came out slightly frosted!! That’s amazing service.

+1

Kirt Ewing

1st time back to "dine in!" After a long home quarantine * Not crowded & quite clean/organized. Love their ambiance! Very attentive SERVICE & fresh food. Pleased to try southern-style 'grits' w/Eggs Benedict breakfast! Family of 4 @ 7 p.m. total bill $61. (+ Leftovers to enjoy in the morning:))

+3

This 5star is strictly for our server Tabatha..\nOverall the food was good but the pancakes were the best.

I really loved this place, its gonna become my favorite place to go with fam now. After a long time i saw a nice and clean restaurant with good food. The ambience was homely. I saw so many famili…

I don't quite remember our server's name, but let's call her Angelina J. She was very attentive and made sure that we were well taken cared off and our food were satisfactory!

I don't quite remember our server's name, but let's call her Angelina J. She was very attentive and made sure that we were well taken cared off and our food were satisfactory!

I ordered a turkey club sandwich.....VERY LITTLE meat but lots of bread. I do not recommend that item. My husband ordered an open faced turkey sandwich and he enjoyed it very much, which is the reason for 3 stars. Otherwise, it would be a 1 star for my sandwich. Very busy Sunday morning so we chose to sit at the counter instead of waiting 30 minutes. Service was very good at counter and server, very personable and attentive. Atmosphere as expected in any diner USA. Pots, dishes, and silverware clinging, chatter and laughter from guests, and kids crying.

Believe it or not, the tri-tip dinner was fantastic and tender! The chicken pot pie was delicious! Flaky and crusty it was wonderful!

Grateful for enjoy at any time, family, friends, relaxed environment

Can't go wrong with Breakfast. Portions are large, could have eaten just half my omellete. The staff is friendly. Lock the vehicle and remove valuables. My usual breakfast place when I'm up in the foothills of the Sierras.

On November 10th morning shift, another server came to our table and brought over a different order. I heard my wife repeat her order to let her know that she was at the wrong table.The server then did a snub-like hand jesture to my wife and walked away. Please re-train especially the younger server's to not take things so personal when they make a mistake? Good customer service is also how you handle yourself! Our original server was very professional, courteous and repeated our order that came out right!

Oversize meals, flavor profile of Benedict was acceptable but not stellar, biscuits are so big could feed an army.

The Slow-Cooked Pot Roast and gravy are great, good flavor. Every deep fried thing was very crispy even as it cooled down. Fish & Chips, fish was over, chips were good and crunchy.

I love the taco salad. I had to wait over 5 minutes at the register to pay the bill though. Decent location.

I love black bear. It's really good. But I went today. The broccoli and carrots were not cooked well enough, as in they were still really crunchy. But I still ate it. It was good. I just wished it was cooked better. I would still recommend going here. It is still good.

A great place to stop while traveling. Clean and easy access to the Freeway.

I alway have breakfast here ever other Friday with my sister. I can honestly say the food is good, service is great.I know for many is not. But I guess it depends which days you go. But as for us Fridays early Morning are the best.

The staff was friendly and attentive. The chicken fried steak was really good(wife's order). I had a special of the day, a prime rib sandwich which was tough, thin and tasted like bouillon. I could only tolerate a couple bites but the fries were good. The waitress took it off our bill which was nice especially since I didn't complain or ask for that. I also had a chocolate cream pie which was good. Overall a good experience, just next time I will order one of the regular menu items.

I like Black Bear Diner. Servings are big. But not over priced. Not a big selection of food but decent. Breakfast stuff is well above average. And, they have freshly baked pies. Mmmm

Food was delicious. Servers were nice. Biscuit is incredible and has the perfect mixture of fluff and flavor. Large portion. Beef gravy and country gravy are rich in flavor. Vegetarian omelette was tasty. Beef roast was very tasty. Cheddar Mac was enjoyable with rich flavoring.

Enjoyed eating outside with my girls first restaurant in 6 months in California.

+2

Biscuits were hard as a rock n gravy was cold. Service was good.

My mother ordered a vegetarian omelette, and I ordered the chicken wrap. The omelette was fully loaded with fresh vegetables and cooked perfectly. The ingredients in the wrap were spread evenly and tasty, but it was a bit dry. The server was excellent. She was prompt, and gave us the time we needed to review the menu. She checked in periodically to see if we needed anything. She was pleasant the entire time.

Whoever owns and operates the Vallejo, CA Blackbear Diner needs to put some love into it. The food is great, the servers are nice and attentive, BUT the place is run down, dusty, and dirty.

Me and my family eat breakfast here from time to time.we love the food,service and they have good price.i like the ambience and also its clean.keep it up black bear!

Great food and friendly staff. They accomodated my family of 8 and served our food promptly. The portions are quite large!

Had a burger here and it was very good. The waitress was friendly and helpful. Fair prices

Food was delicious, steak was done just how I like it🤤. Service was ok, we had to wait more than usual for a server even though restaurant was not full.

Be prepared to take home left overs. The portions are huge. The food is great.

John Flanagan

I really enjoy eating here especially for breakfast. The portions are huge and the food is delicious. Today I decided to order something different and I decided on the Praline and banana bread pudding. I ordered a side of eggs and sausage which was the only items I was able to finish. My wife ordered the volcano since she wanted pancakes and eggs,bacon and sausage.

Autumn Cao

I ordered the egg white chicken sausage scramble and it was delicious! Not too heavy or oily which I feel like can happen with a lot of diner food. I really like the “lesser breakfast” options. Service was a bit slow but understandable since it was very early morning when I went. I enjoyed the decorations and space too.

Love this black bear diner! It's super clean and seems newer than some others I've been to. Great staff and service. Would have been 5 stars but the food wasn't as good as the other bb diners I've be…

Love this black bear diner! It's super clean and seems newer than some others I've been to. Great staff and service. Would have been 5 stars but the food wasn't as good as the other bb diners I've …

Love this black bear diner! It's super clean and seems newer than some others I've been to. Great staff and service. Would have been 5 stars but the food wasn't as good as the other bb diners I'v…

Love this black bear diner! It's super clean and seems newer than some others I've been to. Great staff and service. Would have been 5 stars but the food wasn't as good as the other bb diners I've …

Good diner food. Service was great and friendly. Place was clean. I recommend for a family friend restaurant

When we first arrived we were seated immediately, it was just my Husband and I. We got our drinks brought out to us but we were looking through the menu. I have been to BBD before but my husband ha…

This place has great diner food. The best thing is they offer fresh-squeezed orange juice. Breakfasts are excellent diner fare. I'm not a fan of their biscuits as they have too much baking soda…

We went here on vacation two different days. The first day the food came out quickly and I would give the food a 4/5. The eggs were cold but it was cold outside. The ribbon hash browns were super impressive. I loved those not burnt or too soft. The second day we were seated in the back and the waitress forgot about us after 40 minutes. The food was cold and we sent it back. The other waitress who had short brown hair came to the rescue because we were about to leave. She made sure our 2nd round of food came out in a fast ten minutes. After our long wait with later patrons getting food before us, we were hungry and the food was okay. For the price and service say yourself a hassle and go to denny's for half the price!

Wish I could have more good things to say about BBD, considering that I used to absolutely LOVE coming here when they first opened. But recently, the service has become below par and lacking. On our last visit, and few mistakes were made with my mom's and my wife's orders. Oh, and also my order. Although it's impossible to tell whether the waitress or the kitchen made the mistake, it was still a mistake. My mom: she got pancakes instead of French toast. My wife: they didn't make eggs Benedict the correct way. Me: I didn't get bacon with my burger. I don't think this visit will keep us away forever, but we will definitely double check our food and be more vigilant if we come back here.

Had a tuna melt with fries. Fries were overcooked and food was not hot. Waitress brought another plate of fries. They were also over cooked but were hot.Tuna melt was a bit soggy.

The waiter was awesome, very attentive. The food was decent, but the cook have me what he wanted versus what I ordered, they gave people with smaller parties food before ours and made us wait 35 minutes for our food. We had 3 hungry young kids with us- not cool. We waited to be seated, we literally ordered at their convenience and just wanted to feed the kids. It was frustrating. The best thing about the visit was our waiter, he was really kind.

I ordered the fish and chips, my husband ordered chicken fried steak and my son ordered chicken tenders and fries. While the people were very nice, the food was not so nice. We requested a new order for my husband and son. The food was over fried and tasted like it was cooked in old burnt oil. We didn't finish even the replaced order. We got the carrot cake and that was fabulous.

The burgers were over cooked!! Also Stop smashing all of the flavor out of the meat!!! I'm from Texas and I see now California is not the place to get a good burger. And try toasting your buns with a little butter on them! Geez!! Do I have to come back there and show you guys how to do this?? It's not rocket science!!

Usually come here with my Dad..Came yesterday and I had the Turkey Club with fries..The fries were under cooked..Not tasty at all. We first sat in the main dining area, but after ordering, directly behind something fell..We saw it was insulation from a ceiling tile..Then as we got up to move more of it started falling from other tiles. Most likely from the recent rains, which can happen and no one's fault. Who can predict this? Our server was very attentive to having us move right away. But as we sat elsewhere I had a view of the area we were at. I was surprised to see the debris was only swept up, not vacuumed or corded off for safety purposes..I hope they get it fixed soon-it could be a health hazard..

Food was great very much worth the price. Not sure if it was just a bad night. But the staff seemed very off and disorganized so service suffered.

Ate Friday all you can eat fish. First time great 2nd time terrible. Burnt to a crisp, Cole slaw very dry but the fries were great. Maybe new cook not a good one. Scared to try again.

I went to Black Bear on Friday night for All You Can Eat Fish Fry. The fish had no taste at all, the hush puppies were undercooked and the consistency was not right, and even the coleslaw was not good. I will never order that meal again.

We only ended up here because everything was closing by 8PM. My first time at this establishment. Because my BF wanted some chicken fried steak we ended up here. And I opted for the fried chicken. In…

We only ended up here because everything was closing by 8PM. My first time at this establishment. Because my BF wanted some chicken fried steak we ended up here. And I opted for the fried c…

We only ended up here because everything was closing by 8PM. My first time at this establishment. Because my BF wanted some chicken fried steak we ended up here. And I opted for the fried chick…

Black Bear is a great place for a quick breakfast and coffee. I ordered 2 eggs with chicken fried steak, Crispy Hash-browns and substituted for a Pancake Instead of toast. The food was cooked a…

Black Bear is a great place for a quick breakfast and coffee. I ordered 2 eggs with Chicken fried steak, Crispy Hash-browns and substituted for a Pancake Instead of toast. The food was cooked as I …

Black Bear is a great place for a quick breakfast and coffee. I ordered 2 eggs with Chicken fried steak, Crispy Hash-browns and substituted for a Pancake Instead of toast. The food was cooked as I …

A solid three-star review. Service was a bit slow but the server was friendly. Although I asked for extra turkey, and was more than happy to pay for it, the server did not order it from the kitchen.

A solid three-star review. Service was a bit slow but the server was friendly. Although I asked for extra turkey, and was more than happy to pay for it, the server did not order it from the kitchen…

A solid three-star review. service was a bit slow but the server was friendly. Although I asked for extra turkey, and was more than happy to pay for it, the server did not order it from the kit…

food not bad, could be much better. burger over cooked a lot, fries barely warm. Biscuit and gravy were way too big to be honest, too much

The service was okay but it was definitely a Sunday crowd re-opening busy. I think all restaurants are dealing with an adjustment period right now. That being said the hosts got our phone number in…

The food is delicious at Black Bear but you have to be extremely patient with the staff there. The managers have their hands full with absent minded staff who ask cannot understand basic questions. Your best bet is delivery and pray they don’t screw up your order unless you want to play phone tag with an incompetent hostess.

I felt sick after having orange juice and an English muffin. Although they advertised fresh orange juice, they said they only had enough left to give me 2/3 of a small cup, and they’d discount the price, which was fine by me. Then they came back and said “we found some” and filled the cup w more OJ. As I stood up to leave I felt off, no appetite, headache all day, then throwing up around 5pm. Thereafter, dealt with a massive headache throughout the night and into the morning. Cute place, I even accepted the $3.50 charge for 2 slices of buttered bread, but I paid for the visit in health ways I shouldn’t have had to go thru for such a small simple order.

Pretty trash experience. My wife and I are staying across the street from this diner while our twins are in the NICU and came to eat because we were in need of some comfort food. The waitress didn't even introduce herself, was rude during the entire interaction, I tried to ask about subbing out a sweet cream waffle for two of the sweet cream pancakes in a dish (considering in another one they do exactly that substitution) and she cut me off saying no they couldn't do that and then argued about asking the manager, when she finally did she came back and said it would be a $3 upcharge. That last is not her fault but insane all the same. We'll be staying here another two weeks while our babies are in the hospital but we won't be eating here again. What a terrible restaurant. Don't go.

The first meal we've ever had that was served cold from any Black Bear Diner since I was a child and have eaten at the first in Mt Shasta. There wasn't that long of a wait, but I did notice that two other tables that had arrived after us were served before our table. Pancakes were like a firm, room temp Frisbee. My wife's steak and fries were cold. The server did bring her a fresh batch of hot fries. Because our time was limited, I ate most of my meal but felt moved to at least make a review. I would try the establishment again if in the area. But, I would definitely speak up and return my plate if that occurred again.

My wife and I waited over ten minutes without being acknowledged after being seated

Food is OK. The problem is the service needs to improve. Placed our order and that was the last time we saw the server until she delivered the bill. The employee that served us was the table cleaner passing by. Noticed that the only good server in this place was named Tabatha.

Terrible service. Good food. Server got majority of our order wrong. Food was luke warm, sausage overcooked. Bland country potatoes that were ordered crispy but somehow still soggy. I'm a server/bartender and understand when it's busy but this is different. I never leave less than 15 percent even when I don't get good service but this time I had to. Disappointed. Oj was great, pancakes were great. Management replied to me but no follow up is needed. Just providing feedback. I just won't be dining at a black bear diner any time soon

Angelina

My father brought me here recently to treat me to breakfast. Unfortunately, we did not get to eat. We received incorrect orders after a long wait, and not so good service from the waitress. I was able to purchase and take home there bacon, which was good.

S Gardner

Great salad to go but the place looked unsanitary. No only ere the waiters not wearing gloves & in direct contact the the customers' food, the floor was filthy. I sat at the front watching the ladies rearrange and add food to plates without gloves while also touching other items behind the counter which weren't clean. For example, going from the cash register to using the serving spoons to fill the sauce cups. Then someone would follow behind with gloves and use the same spoon and proceed to add something to a plate.

Short haired older blonde waitress really bad service and food came out really late and cold I told the waitress she through her hands up like what am I supposed to do about it type of manner and was…

Short haired older blonde waitress really bad service and food came out really late and cold I told the waitress she through her hands up like what am I supposed to do about it type of manner and w…

Short haired older blonde waitress really bad service and food came out really late and cold I told the waitress she through her hands up like what am I supposed to do about it type of manner a…

Standing in lobby for a long while, no acknowledgment, wasn't busy, maybe two tables and it looked like the server (male) was as busy chatting with a customer.\n\nAfter waiting a bit more, counted …

I guess this is the final time we coming back. I do not eat here very often maybe once a year. I was craving for steak and eggs for breakfast. I ban IHOP for life in Vallejo the food is just bad an…

I guess this is the final time we coming back. I do not eat here very often maybe once a year. I was craving for steak and eggs for breakfast. I ban IHOP for life in Vallejo the food is just bad an…

Don't do it. Tried giving them the benefit of the doubt related to breakfast. It was the worse.

The service sucks we waited like 25 minutes to get drinks and we waited 1 hour and 45 minutes to get food and there's flys on the windows and everyone is getting there food before us our food cam…

The service was nearly nonexistent. We sat for 20 minutes before anyone took our order - nobody seemed to know who was waiting which tables but there were 4-5 people wandering around looking lost a…

BEWARE!!! VERY UNSAFE!!! This place is a beacon for criminals!!! We unsuspectingly stopped in for lunch and within 30 minutes our car was broken into parked right in front of the restaurant. Those we…

They just can't get it together... Has been months now the sign on the door says they are rebuilding their staffing; something to that effect. We're regulars, but will have to pass on them for a whi…

Inside great. Outside parking lot horrible. Very poor security. Came out after eating to find car window smashed and things taken😞😞 And then police said they "didnt have footage of anything on camera for the parking lot"😣👎👎

So I took my daughter to the location in Vallejo, Ca this afternoon. I’ve got say this place isn’t very good. I ordered the chicken fried steak my daughter ordered pancakes as usual. The chicken fried steak tasted old, the toast was only heated up. My daughters pancakes had hair in it and it wasn’t hers. The restaurant has a slightly bad odor to it. This was only my second visit to this location but will be the last to it as well. I will go to other black bear restaurants since this was a first with this chain. The food has never been this horrible at any other black bear.

The recent change in branding from classic diner to modern restaurant is kind of a mistake. While it's refreshing to hear some modern tunes, and better variety, the overall mood has shifted to be somewhat uncomfortable. Nobody seems to be liking the changes and it shows well in the guests and workers. But bigger problems than just music are creeping up at this location. They have a waiter here who's been here for years, and is quite possibly the worst waiter I've ever had anywhere, let alone at this diner. All the rest of the wait staff here is delightful and we have a few regulars we love to see. But we let out an audible groan whenever we see we have this man, because we know our lunch is about to be pretty bad. Sure enough, today he comes by to take our order, we have menus closed and are ready. He asks us for drinks, we tell him water and a coke, we say we're ready to order, he runs off and doesn't come back for 5 minutes. When he does, he drops our drinks and runs off again. Then he comes back and finally takes our order. We ask for straws, and he throws two out on the table, one lands in my water still in the wrapper and he doesn't even notice. We order and he leaves, food comes out a little bit later, not too long. My pastrami sandwich looks disgusting. Half the meat is untearable and flavorless, other half is gross in the other direction, soggy and with a biting flavor. Almost no sauerkraut on the sandwich at all. Meat falling off it when they put it on the plate. The bread soaked so thoroughly it was totally flat and my fingers were greasy from touching it. Disgusting. Left 10¢ tip, that's far more than he deserves frankly as the table behind me actually requested to speak with the manager about him, and sure enough let the manager on hand have it about the horrible service. I never did have our waiter come by again, I got one single refill on my water and that was it, the glass sat empty the rest of the meal and I left thirsty and hungry as half my food was inedible. Black Bear, want to keep your customers happy? Fire the few people that are holding you back.

We love Black Bear! Disappointed Our food was cold, my hash brown not cooked toast hard omelette cold. Sucks to much biscuit and gravy cold. Waitress pretty much working by herself. That's terrible Not enough staff

Update, So the last two times I've been back to this location ,my order came on a dirty plate , such was greasy and looking like something had been placed there and then removed by little reason stains not relatedto the meal ordered. The western bacon burger did not look the part, and 5 onion rings. Noy only this, but i weirdly got sick that night after eating here, both times. I'm good, I value my health more than their kitchen wants my dollars.

Maybe Im being too harsh, but I travel a lot and I am generally very spoiled when it comes to food. The corn muffins crumbled into grains if you tried to pick them up. The Italian dressing tasted like they added some sort of pickle flavor. The ribs were covered in too much bbq sauce to hide how bad they looked. They were too mushy and tasted bad. Even the baked potato tasted off. The sour cream did not taste normal. I felt sick after eating. Something was just not right. The iced tea was good. The price is as inexpensive as it gets in the year 2024. The service was good. Atmosphere is different and very kid friendly.

This will be the last delivery order from them They have steadily gone down hill and this order was the last straw. I always order the Italian sausage sliders and today the meat was half the size of what I’m used to getting and I know they let them sit before they notified Uber they were ready. I called them to find out why my order wasn’t ready after an hour band I got put on hold and they never picked up after 5 minutes. Order McDonald’s sandwiches and you’ll get them faster and cheaper with more meat on your sandwich!!!!

BEWARE!!! VERY UNSAFE!!! This place is a beacon for criminals!!! We unsuspectingly stopped in for lunch and within 30 minutes our car was broken into parked right in front of the restaurant. Those we spoke to about the incident (including the police) shrugged it off saying “this happens here all the time”.

Service is okay, but area is really unsafe. After eating and paying our bill, we discovered that our car got broken in in their parking lot (as well as the other customer), yet management was apathetic. Never going back. Park at your own risk.

We left after 10 minutes. No one came to our table. Then they went to a table they sat minutes after sitting us.

May 16, 2025: felt "dead" inside the diner and I wondered why...until we got our food. Apparently management has not educated the food prep people that when you microwave a bear claw pastry, the wheat gluten congeals and becomes gummy. Also, oatmeal should not have the texture of sawdust and mucus.

Natalia Machado

We were sitting down at our table for almost 20 minutes and the waitress kept taking orders of groups that arrived way after us. We could notice how she was looking straight to we were sitting while talking to the host so we are not sure if she refused to serve us on purpose. We just got up and left, and the stuff didn’t even noticed this. We love your menu in general but the service is not as good.

Sam

My salmon was overcooked and barely salted, my chocolate cake was so stale and dry It was crunchy, my friends chocolate cream pie tasted sour and off, I got side macaroni and cheese and not only was drowning in way too much lukewarm goopy cheese, but it was 2$ more than on the menu. I will not be coming here again.