Today was the best meal I’ve had in awhile. I went in expecting nothing yet was instantly greeted by amazing staff. I sat down for my meal with friends and had an amazing waitress named Mercedes. She gave exceptional service and the meal was next level in contrast with my last time coming. It does help that she was gorgeous, inside and out. Kind staff through and through, good food too. Everyone should try this place out. They’ve really upped their game as of late.

Never had a bad meal here. LOVE BLACK BEAR DINER. Great food and service. Servers are always friendly and attentive.

Our server Kaiya was great!! Super attentive, friendly and did a wonderful job serving us!! I had the Patty Melt, cooked perfectly. Hubby had the French toast,sausage & eggs cooked perfectly. We had no issues. Restaurant is decorated with the cute bear theme. Had a coupon for free breakfast.

Highly recommend. Great food! Great service! Staff is all so friendly and considerate about if we need anything even if they aren't our waitress they are stopping by to help. Julia is our waitress and she's a five star employee. The hostess had us seated quick. Also manager is very present and all over the restaurant assisting and managing staff. My husband loves salmon and he said this is the best salmon pasta he's ever had.

We came in just as they were closing. Our server, Holly, welcomed us in and fed us. She was incredibly kind. The burgers and waffles and chicken tenders were enjoyed and devoured. Black Bear Diner is my favorite restaurant. :)

We loved our experience at Black Bear Diner! The food was delicious, the portions big enough for 2. We had the southern scramble and loved it. Samantha was our server, she was wonderful 💜 Very attentive and happy to help. We will definitely be coming back especially because of the superb service.

We were at the Black Bear in Chico We arrived at 11. We were not served until 12:15. BUT the waitress was really wonderful Her name is Monique and she was swamped with people. She kept coming back to give us updates. Around 11:45 she realized that the families seated in our area had kids that were getting VERY antsy. She made the decision to get the food to all the small whiny children first! I was really impressed! And I complemented her- and all the parents in the area -really were happy 👍👍👍👍👍👍 So well done by hard working MONIQUE BRAVO

The food and service was perfect. My eggs were cooked just the way I like them. Our server, Corey was delightful. She was accommodating, professional and pleasant. My friends and I were very pleased with the experience. My first time there. I will be back. My only negative comment is the newspaper menu. Hard to navigate for seniors.

Had the Friday fish fry.. awesome! Server Chris was great!

It's finally here! Well if you've never been to Black Bear Diner before its aptly named, with bear themed apparel and decor. The food at this location is better than other that I've been to! I got the Fish and Chips, which are pretty dang good for a chain restaurant. My girlfriend got breakfast and the bacon was cooked absolutely perfectly, and the waffle was crispy and fluffy. 10/10. I'd say this is a fairly small location from the others I've been to, however there wasn't a long wait to get in, maybe 10 minutes. I missed the one in Paradise dearly. I ate there about two weeks before the fire. The food brings back memories for sure. Service has definitely improved from the last time I was here.

Quick, friendly, clean. Good sandwiches and coffee. Recommend the Club.

Holly was wonderful, she gave us a taste of the piña colada pancake whipped cream, and then we ordered one to split as an appetizer. Food came super fast and disappeared off our plates just as fast!

The food was amazing, if you like a good burger, they got em. Our server Linda was very nice and accommodating!

One of our favorite restaurants when we are in Chico. I wish we could get one in our hometown of Ukiah.

Always excellent food and customer service. Great portions with good prices. The best coffee ☕️ 😋

The food was very good Angela was very nice very professional I really did enjoy myself I will be going back!

Ive been here twice once maybe 2-3 weeks ago and today both times have been fabulous, the first time we did have a wait but it was alright since they were serving the firefighters that was working on the park frie this time was quiet but both were fantastic i got the BBQ burger the first time i went and i loved it and today i asked for the Alfredo pasta but the waitress had told me they were out so i opted for the pesto pasta with grilled chicken and when me and my family got out foot the waitress gave me my food and had said the chef had made a small new batch of alfredo and added pesto to it and it was so delicious im sad i got full so quickly but i took it home and its the best leftovers, the staff are nice and ill definitely be coming back and telling my friends about this black bear dinner

This place is fantastic! The food is really good (the portions are HUGE), the service was quick and efficient (Angela, Diamond, Linda, and Chris are all friendly and really funny) and the place is impeccably clean and inviting. There's plenty of seating, so no matter your needs, Black Bear Diner will be able to accommodate you. On this trip with my roommate, Tarik. I had the pot roast with mashed red potatoes and steamed broccoli as my sides. Tarik had the homestyle meatloaf with a house salad and a loaded baked potato ($2 extra charge)as his sides. We both also had the soup of the day (clam chowder) which was included with our meals. The food was brought to us hot and I'm a timely fashion. There was sufficient time for us to finish our soup before our entrees were brought out. Did I mention the food was excellent? Been to this restaurant twice and will definitely be going back. I'm telling y'all, check this place out, you'll be glad you did!

We enjoyed a nice dinner one evening, plenty of parking and didn't have to wait to get seated. I had ordered the chicken fried steak and I have to say that was the best I have ever had. Super cool waitress and the only downsize was they ran out of the steak that my husband ordered so he got the ribs. They were really good. Will go back when we get the chance.

Usually come here once a week for a “family lunch” tradition with our son and the food is great! Service is kind and fast! Usually we see Kaiya and she’s always so welcoming and kind! Great atmosphere when she’s working!

Food was great! Our waitress Kaiya was so attentive and nice to my family, we had a plate of food that came to the table a little cold and as soon as we brought it to her attention she got us a fresh plate of food :) definitely will eat here again

I read other people's reviews and it seemed like people didn't have the best experience and prices were high. However, my family and I love this black bear diner. The staff is amazing and the prices are reasonable, very normal diner prices and not what I saw from previous reviews which said they were expensive. We have had nothing but great experiences

I had a order delivered via GH and part of my order was missing. The new manager took it up on himself to drive my missing order, plus a extra goodie all the way cross town. I have always had great food as well as service, but this manager went the extra mile.

Went to dinner and had their B B Q Ribs . . . Really good, lots of meat, took home enough for the next night. Friday June 10th is a good night for ribs! What a great meal and the Waiter Chris was awsome, and so is Linda . . . What a Wonderful night!

The food was delicious, the wait staff are super friendly and attentive and the atmosphere was quiet and relaxed.

Modern diner with 1930's vibes, kind of feels like Denny's back when it was still good. Great atmosphere, feels like its targeting an older audience. Massive portions and everything seems homemade. Had their classic cheeseburger plate and had a good time, burger was fresh and fries were even crisp. Ranch tastes buttermilk-y and not like most off the shelf stuff. They keep the coffee/soda coming. Saw someone order a chicken fried steak breakfast and it was big as a frisbee.

Great food, huge portions. Handicap parking is a tiny bit far to the door.

Had breakfast today here. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Had 2 eggs, hash browns, 2 strips of bacon, sourdough toast, and fresh squeezed orange juice.

Came in with a large party for my birthday dinner , and just had to take the time to write about how amazing Sammy & Ron were. They were the only two servers with one cook and the restaurant was decently busy. I saw the two of them working together I couldn’t tell who exactly was our server. I love to see a small crew working together so well food was amazing and the wait wasn’t more than 30 minutes for all of us! Go black bear!

Chico black bear is our once a week treat, definitely one of our favorite go to diners. All our family (7) loves the time and service. Even with our big bunch our favorite waitress Holly she’s amazing. Holly’s kindness and hospitality is always on point. We regularly catch up and she remembers the little things that go on with us and the kids share the excitement for the week with her. The food is amazing we do family style sharing and the variety of food is always so yummy! Also the tropical cream pie is delicious!

Kaiya greeted us with a smile. We sat outside. The music was good and not too loud. Our lunch was delicious;cooked perfectly. Kiaya was perfect. She was friendly and professional; taking care of us with a genuine smile.

As always, Blackbear Diner at this location has hit the mark of excellence. Great employees and food is absolutely tasty! My grandson always wants to stop and eat at a Blackbear Diner. Love the atmosphere.

Really good portions!

Great service, good food like grandma makes! Country cooking LARGE HUGE portions! We will be back

Went just before closing time and had the six piece bacon breakfast. The bacon was delicious. Very polite waiter. Will go again.

I ordered medium rare new york steak and it was right on the spot, scramble eggs with ham, country potatoes, french toast and a coffe. Food was great our server was friendly and cute 🥰🥰🥰 (Veronica). It was a great experience. I will come back here.

We had thirteen people.Most of them were children spilled two cups of water.The waiter was fabulous.I wish I would have gotten his name.The service was astronomically kind and understanding

Me and my fiance come here almost every Sunday for breakfast. It’s our favorite breakfast place in Chico. The servings are always very large and the food is always seasoned really well. Very consistent. The service is always great too and everyone that works there is so friendly. Angie is always sweet and attentive. I always look forward to Sundays to have a great breakfast

Khristos Khristos

Fabulous friendly service by Angela. I had the best fish & chips . Anyone visiting come over for good food and a big smile from Angela. Angela must get a raise $$$ for fabulous service. I will cole again

Buttermilk V

Black Bear Diner feels like a cozy cave for bears—and I proudly count myself as one 🐻. I stopped in on a cold Chico day while feeling under the weather, and that warm bowl of chicken noodle soup truly did the trick. It came with bread, garlic bread, and a side of lightly buttered broccoli—simple, comforting, and exactly what I needed. I honestly think it kept me from getting sick. Big shout-out to Chris, my waiter—friendly, welcoming, and genuinely kind. We even chatted about scary movies (he’s not a fan… I absolutely am 😄). That kind of personal touch makes all the difference. I’ll definitely be back. This bear found a warm, comforting den. 🐻🍲

Rodney Rollins

I absolutely love coming to this place. Gabriel, Diamond and Julia are amazing! Everybody is so friendly, helpful and attentive. The food is always high quality, big portions, and fulfilling!!!

Michael Rooney

I was hungry and hadn't been to the Black Bear in Chico. It was a good decision. I got the BLT and it was delicious.

Javier Villanueva

The food is great here, my only problem was the server not being very attentive with my table, I drank my soda fairly quickly and was never offered a refill my wife got a coffee same thing no refill, she brought out the food and that was the last we saw of here till it was time to pay.

Ryan Prescott

They have seriously stepped it up since the new ownership took over. The quality of the food and service has improved in a big way and you can actually feel the difference. One of the fun touches is the little bell by the front door. You ring it when you get great service and it’s constantly going off. It’s turned into a bit of a game for the staff and management, and you can see in their faces that they’re enjoying it. It keeps the energy high and the service even better. The check-ins during the meal are appreciated. They stop by just enough to make sure everything is good without hovering. The manager even came over to make sure we got the to-go container we asked for and the refills we needed. That kind of goes a long way. I’ve already been back with both family and friends since the ownership changed and every visit has been great. Compared to how it used to be, this change was the right move. They nailed it.

Julio Jejeje

Excellent service and great food! Our server, Linda, was outstanding—attentive, friendly, and consistently making sure we had everything we needed. She went above and beyond what you typically expect from a server. The food was also delicious, making the entire experience truly enjoyable. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be returning!

Mary P

Visited April 15th..see receipt. This location is in Chico and has indoor and outside seating. Stopped in for a late breakfast after shopping at the mall. I had the lighter breakfast with pancakes and 2 thick cut bacon slices and a scrambled egg. I really liked the bacon as it was crispy as ordered! Everything was good. My friend got Joes hobo omelete with a ton of crispy hash browns. It also came with a biscuit and for 99 cents more you get the gravy on top. Portion was huge and everything was really good! Plenty of leftovers! They serve beer and wine as well as mimosas. It's cutely decorated with bears. Waitresses were friendly and order came out quickly ( thanks Monique)! I would definitely come back when in Chico!

+28

J Esparza

Great breakfast. Plenty of parking, seemed to be located close to a lot of other business. Good was excellent and the service was prompt and friendly. The chicken sausage was really good.

+4

John Ramirez

The waitress was fabulous great service . So I am reposting this burnt food from when I first went to breakfast. I talked to management, and he is professional and down to earth .he invited me back to try them again .the food was just as fabulous as the redding black bear dinner. If anyone is having issues with this dinner, I encourage you to let the manager know, and you will not be disappointed. He works every day but mon and tue . This is how buitful and great my food was on my second visit . Perfectly cooked food this time . gravy was perfect, biscuits were to die for, and the poached eggs were cooked to perfection. Chicken Fried steak was fabulous cooked.

Garrett Rodgers

Mandy was a phenomenal hostess. The atmosphere was really cute. I took pictures of all the bear pictures. High quality fresh ingredients. They make their fresh OJ daily. I loved that the menu was like a newspaper. Surprisingly, the first page showed all of the company’s MVPs and store locations. I felt that that showed the pride they have for their most valuable assets. Their employees. The chef made me a special off the menu sauce that was delicious with my sourdough burger. Usually I’m leery of such large menus, but everything that was ordered was really good. The only thing I noticed was that my moms chicken tender on her waffle was pretty salty, but was actually really good. I can’t wait until they come to Wisconsin! Fingers crossed. Thank you for the exemplary customer service. It was really refreshing. Oh! I also had the huckleberry malt. I highly advise it. Enough to share with 3 or 4 people, so bring malt friends.

+6

I just came here for dinner with my son, Monday evening. It wasn't a full house, however there was only one server. I had to ask this fella his name, the server was Ron, and I just wanted to take the time to praise his work. He was very competent, I overheard some customers issues, and he handled everything quickly and professionally. He demonstrated excellent product knowledge which seemed to help with the customers. He was very helpful with my son and I, and he just seemed very genuine.

I waited a few weeks before I tried this place here. I have eaten in a Black bear in Torrance, Ca; the restaurant looks fantastic, and the few employees there were amiable and courteous. We waited for a while to get acknowledged by the hostess since she was busy helping the servers; even though tables were open, there needed to be more crew. I really like this place, and the location is so great. We waited for a very long time for our food, which is understandable; they were short-handed and the team there was doing their best. Still, this is a management issue. Poor scheduling? The food was lukewarm, and I'm not surprised since it looked like food seats there for a while. My English Muffin was dripping with butter; it did not look toasted. I when back the following week and Kariann took great care of us she reached out to see 8f we had been help when few staff was just congregating and talking in the lobby area Kariann's service was excellent food was warm. I notice she alone was taking care of all her tables I did not see anyone helping her. Black Bear needs more workers like her unfortunately as we approach the lobby to pay once again no one we around for us to pay till a kitchen crew approached the lobby trying to help, and the hostess showed up. Looks like the waitress buss boys and hostess. Like to hung out front or hide in the back when people are waiting or possibly walk out with out paying. We waited about 5 minutes.

We enjoyed our time together here as a family and we are looking forward to coming back soon! Everyone was so nice and friendly..

I used Black Bear Diner for a catering service this week for 40 people and they did an amazing job with the food and even gave me side items for free. The presentation and packaging were top notch, the personal I dealt with were helpful and professional. I got a quote over email so I could see costs and make decisions about what I really needed. I will use them again !

We eat here often. Food is always good. Our server kaiya was friendly and attentive and not a bug a boo like some are. Portions and price are always good aswell.

It was amazing. I'm so glad they brought back Black Bear Diner. I used to stop by the one in Gridley when coming back from a long road trip when they had one. They have such great variety. But I love the newspaper menu.

Food was great, the service even better. However, there is a male server and his personality is flat and he gets an attitude very quickly especially 5 minutes before closing.

Chris Ariza

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner? Yes. Any meal any time of day at Black Bear Diner Chico. Delicious food with ridiculous portions at an adorable price. Friendly service in a welcoming atmosphere that is ready to accommodate your next gathering. -1 star: • Jukebox is not hooked into the overhead speakers, is inaudible. • First booth we were sat at was dirty. • Mine and my dad's prime-ribs were very dry, which is an absolute shame seeing they have the equipment to do it right.

+5

Our waitress "Max" is the reason they are receiving 3 stars - if not for her 1 star. She deserves a raise! I have never seen one person hustle so much at a restaurant. They were clearly understaffed. The trashcan outside was over filled and there was garbage/debris outside the entry way (a dirty towel, clothing, wrappers, candy). It took 10 minutes to be seated even though it was 3pm and we waited while one employee (not Max) also hustled to run the cash register, bring silverware to a couple of customers, and seated customers (us). It took another 45 minutes to get our basic breakfast platter that consisted of 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon and a waffle for $16.49 per plate (seriously eggs and bacon are not THAT expensive!!!) Meanwhile - Max took care of everything except cooking. We watched her wait tables, bus tables, set up the tables, run the register, and seat customers all while smiling and being very friendly. She was fast and a gem! We had coupons for a free breakfast or else we would not have stayed. For the price and lack of staff it was not worth it. We paid $5 and some change for our delicious orange juice and we tipped Max $5. I would have given her more, but seriously she deserves a raise. Unless it's free we will not be coming back.

Only one lady working and having to deal with the whole place. She was obviously overwhelmed when we paid for our salad and chicken strips I asked how come she was by herself she said sometimes the management thinks things will be slow and sometimes it's not. I hope she got another person there to help. Food took a while to come out but I'm sure that's having to do with her having to wait on so many tables. Felt like the price was pretty high overall paying almost 60 for two meals and two drinks. I miss the black bear in Gridley but was disappointed leaving this one.

I went with my girlfriend and her family for her dad's birthday. We had a good time, but there's only so much one server can do for half a restaurant in a timely manner. I don't blame the staff. They are working with what they have, which is apparently a skeleton crew. That can't be easy and the management should take steps to make it a more attractive place to work (cough cough raise the staff pay!)

I've tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt, but it can be empty and it still takes 15 minutes for someone to take the drink orders. Food is great... but be prepared to wait 30+ minutes to see it.

Summary of the 1st experience was terrible. About 1 year ago we tried it and the service was so bad we sat there for over an hour before someone took our order so we walked out. 2nd time was better. We had a party of 3 were seated quickly again and served quickly. Only issue was the food was slightly under cooked and not seasoned. This was our 3rd and final visit to be completely fair to the restaurant in reviews. We were seated instantly and our server was excellent. Took our order and food was cooked well. We got French Toast which was good not great. Described as cooked well but not top tier. We also got chicken fried steak, with 2 eggs over easy, hash Browns and sourdough toast added 2 slices of bacon and 2 sausage links. This is where things got interesting. Eggs were cooked to specified standard, bacon was cooked but not Crispy. Hash Browns were not Crispy either, chicken fried steak was excellent as was the country gravy. Sausage was excellent as well. I apologize to you all who read this. I forgot to take photos this time. Never got the toast. Server was very nice and helpful until food was served. No one came to check on us to see if food was cooked to our liking or anything. I'm very transparent with my reviews. I went to pay and informed them of the issues and they gave me $10 off. I appreciate the helpful service staff and crew. A fair review comes to 11/15 best of the 3 experiences by a long shot. Hopefully this helps the business see what to fix and helps you guys reading this as what to be on the watch for. Thank you!

It's a diner and you get diner food. I got the fish and chips. It's okay. Fries weren't that great, but service was good!

Luis P.

Positive things: Holly and Ben. Great people with big nice attitudes, great servers that never wavered in their professional demeanor. Water had no after taste. Apparently their Tomato Cream Soup/Corn Bread impressed my female sidekick regardless of its almost $10 price tag for a well served bowl. The way she started eating it told of a good ending. Coffee and Tea, refillable both, a tad better than most. Was it the norm? The time of the day around 5 PM with 25% full? Guess it was. Not so wonderful: my plate ($20+) consisting of 3 Eggs to order, 2 Sausage Links, 2 Bacon Strips (limp instead of crispy per request), Hash Browns more steamed than crispy, slice of Ham, and 2 hefty Pancakes, Butter and Smuckers Sugar Free per request. Oily eggs, sausage average, bacon better, ham slightly salty but edible. Their supposedly well appreciated Bread Pudding made on the house, $6.99? We shared it later and at the risk of shattering their accolades for their home made concoction, it was average at best, sweet for sure and ingredients barely discernible, an indulgence soon after regretted which seems to be my thing, temptation easily defeating common sense way too often. Oh well. Total $48.99 plus 20% gratuity just because of the good vibes from Holly. 3.5 Stars. 4/7/2023 I always take the side of the customer versus the cook when something(s) need severe attention specially food. We returned one more time to Black Bear Diner to try their Friday All You Can Eat Fish, since this Easter Friday bans meat, and I have developed a certain kind of respect for the tradition. Happy Easter, Chico! Fish plate, $18+? 3 deep (deep!) fried fish, cole slaw, fries, hush puppies, tartar sauce. On paper it looked good that’s why we went. What arrived had one common denominator: overly salty. The batter for the fish, the fries, the hush puppies, is that what they’re called? Aggressively salty, almost like a boycott against the whole group. Had to discard the batter/overly fried crust, and save the little fish inside. The first 3 hush puppies were almost black, and therefore dry solid. Travis?, our fine server, replaced the neglectful fry, and brought 3 in better status. Fries untouchables sodium driven. My friendly partner ordered the Clam Chowder, which was thick but not a winner recipe. Was accompanied by what the first time was an outstanding corn bread, this time around stale, old, the opposite. We arrived around 7:10 PM, and the place was way below full. The staff I have found to be very nice and efficient. My criticism is for what is coming out of the kitchen, for as far as fried fish is concerned it was a terrible show. How hard is to find a willing, prideful chef/cook in Chico? Potentially speaking The Black Bear could be filled to capacity if they only could sustain the pace and quality of all items in the menu. Is not mean spirited on my part, but food thrown away is a defeat of sorts for this and all food places. Why some places are always crowded, while others are dormant! Better to sell fewer items cooked to perfection than allow mediocre fare. 1.5 Stars.

Pros: All the staff I interacted with were very friendly. The food is pretty good except the French toast was a little dry. The orange juice is amazing. Cons: It was so UNDERSTAFFED! No hostess, no cashier. Our poor waitress was running around bussing tables and cashiering between taking orders which affected service. But I don't blame her, the manager sent some staff home because it was slow. Also it was super cold inside. I had to go outside and get my jacket. Men's room was dirty

This was my first visit to a Black Bear Diner and besides our server the experience was extremely poor. Our waitress was amazing, getting us our drinks quickly and taking our orders. Our major problem was the food. I ordered eggs over medium with my combo and it came out with excessively runny whites and a yoke that was barely cooked, my father ordered fish and chips that came back over cooked. His regular fries came back so dark I thought he got seasoned fries. The waitress was extremely apologetic and had the kitchen remake our dishes. The food came back as expected and was the quality one would expect from a Denny's or IHOP. The cherry on top was while our waitress was on break another waitress came by and refilled my fathers raspberry ice tea with regular without asking what he had. All in all I feel the price for what you get plus the poor service will prevent me from coming to this location again seeing as there are less expensive options for a breakfast with better quality near by.

I have never been to this restaurant till now and what I’ve heard of big portions I got the opposite long wait to small portion. Asked for big jacks burger got a small hamburger that you get at jack in the box a small fry and x small bowl of chili and forgot about my sweet potato fries had to wait an extra 20 minutes for that. All cost of $55 I will never go back there again.

Food was good (mostly), but service was inexplicably poor. It's more forgivable when being a guest at a busy place, though they were also not a bit busy when we went, surprisingly. Everyone was nice, so don't get me wrong, though nobody was particularly attentive. They forgot a few items from the order, didn't bring any utensils until after we asked (which was after they dumped our food off without asking if we needed anything), didn't refill any coffee or water for almost our entire stay, and kept forgetting to come back when we would ask for refills & we made sure to be polite each time we inquired. I think they finally refilled some of the drinks just as we were about to leave. I know this is a new location, though it would be appropriate to mention Black Bear prices have gone up a lot over the past few years, too. Again, the food was mostly good (one burger was completely undercooked), everyone was very polite, but it seemed as if the service staff was new to working in restaurants & we were completely forgotten about, unfortunately. Would easily be 4 or 5 stars with solid, attentive staff & we'd definitely go again in hopes of better service. I came back to this review after reading about many other guests having near-identical problems... for months. Doesn't seem like management/ownership is handling the inexplicably poor customer service, but at least they're responding to complaints, so that's a start!

$$$ Very pricey! Like brewery or downtown date night restaurant level prices. Man the food is so good. I would keep going here if the prices weren't ridiculous. For 1 waffle, nothing else, it was almost $20! They automatically include tip at check out which was frustrating since the service wasn't great and the tip was almost $20. Only 2 of us were eating. The cooks forgot things on our orders, and we noticed the same happened to the people next to us. Our server was attentative and nice, and no fault to them but it took us an hour and a half to get our food after ordering. We went in the morning, and it wasn't that busy. Less than half the tables were filled, so we assumed it wouldn't take too long. But man the food was fantastic! Should change the dollar signs on Google because it is Brewery level prices for what's supposed to be a family friendly diner.

Been to a few dinners. Wost food, service, atmosphere we've ever experienced. Won't go back to Chico. Corn bread muffin dry, pot pie just not good. Strawberry short cake drenched in strawberry glaze syrup. Cake dry and crusty. Not good at all.

We were very disappointed with our food and service, which is sad because we used to love black bear. Food didn’t seem very fresh, and the service sucked. I literally sat there with my food in front of me waiting for a drink refill for over 10 minutes, and when I finally flagged down an employee and ask for a refill, they bring me the wrong drink and walk away before I could even say anything! Idk if they were just having a bad day or what, but we left very unhappy.

i love black bear diner. interesting seeing them come to chico. the good: really kind and attentive servers who were doing an amazing job in spite of insane crowds. kept updating us on the order and were very thoughtful. really good service. i had a burger and it was pretty good, actually to a perfect medium. garlic fries had a ridiculous amount of garlic to the point where half of them came out soggy. the bad: prices are indeed outrageous, way higher than other bbd’s. and yet the place is slammed, will be interesting to see how this plays out. food took a really long time as the kitchen seems to be under staffed and still learning, the servers did give us a heads up though that the kitchen was very backed up. the ugly: there was a giant flatscreen tv playing fox news. i guess i knew that black bear diner was a point of pride for rural folks who seem to be largely conservative, i get it, but i always thought black bear diner was sort of a neutral ground for people who appreciate the natural aspects of rural rural america like bear sculptures, diner food, and sweeping murals of the forest. sitting at the bar and having no murals, a giant 80” tv playing fox news, not gonna lie even though the servers were sweet it really bummed me out and made me want to leave. i like the original location a lot better than this one.

So I paid $11 for two pancakes that were horrible. Gummy gooey and very expensive. The orange juice was so so and it was $6.39. Crazy Prices. So it was $20.07 for two pancakes and two scrambled eggs and an orange juice. Either I'm outdated or this is ridiculous

Christina Guzman

I hate to say this because I grew up going to black bear diner in gridley when it was still on hwy 99 but this diner in chico, I was so disappointed. This was my second time going since they opened, thought I would give it another try after I encountered the same issue the first time, but sadly, it was the same outcome. I asked our waitress for my steak to be cooked "medium". It was bland, dry and bloody which only means they cooked a frozen steak. My eggs were not seasoned nor were my country potatoes. I added so much salt and pepper to try to make it some what tasteful, but it didn't really help. Let's be clear, I am not saying all food is bad there because my daughter really enjoyed her burger and my toddler loved the chicken strips, but my meal was just not prepared to my liking.

evelyn estrada

We used to love this place. Chris is a terrible server with TERRIBLE ATTITUDE. Farmer’s Skillet is way better for anyone considering black bear. So much went wrong and with chris’ attitude it was an overstimulating stay.

Sheldon J Plankton

Our sever is very friendly. But as for the food, it’s not good. I think I’m not going back again. We ordered ribs and New York steak. The rib is very chewy like rubber. But the flavor is ok. The steak is a disaster. It is overcooked. And it needs seasoning. As for the onion rings, the crust is thick and hard. We only ate one piece. Besides, the meal is $70 before tax and tip. It’s kind of expensive compared to its portions and quality.

Hard to believe the manager was pushing turkey omelets 2 days after Thanksgiving! The waitress brought regular sized orange juices and the check charged us for large! The cashier didn't know how to fix it. Very lame.

Waited 20 minutes for drinks and got them only when an ex employee heard my wife and I discussing the issue of not being waited on went to an employee. The food was burnt and we were still charged for the burger. I get emails all the time and decided to give the place a try. Never again will I walk into the Chico location and I live in Oroville. Waste of time and money that was spent

I was expecting so much more for those prices. My food took over an hour to get to my table. I only ordered a chicken sandwich. The bread was burnt and the avocado had a lot of black spots. I only tasted the charred bread most of the time. I overheard the waitress say that she didn't care about my table because she had 30 minute wait time tickets. When the food got to my table finally, the waitress asked if I wanted ranch with my fries. She left for another 15 minutes, and after I was finished with my fries, she said, "I don't know if you still want this or not, but here's your ranch." Lower the prices for that experience. No wonder you guys got shut down in Gridley.

I took my two grandmas there and we all order different plates, the only person who was happy is the one who got the eggs benedict California style and the rest of us hated our food. The reuben sandwich the meat was dry. The fries my wife got were soggy and gross, while her chili beans were more like ketchup beans. My omelette was very plain and it wasn't anything special. Definitely not what it used to be. Chico location! Last Friday around 11 a.m.

Food was good but the atmosphere was something else ! Went in for lunch got something more! In middle of my lunch I heard someone yelling very loudly! I couldn’t enjoy my lunch !

I don't know what's going on with this particular Black Bear Diner in Chico. Consistently understaffed and at these prices I expect the food quality to be decent and it has not been. Our recent and last visit to Black Bear Diner served cheeseburgers that were very overcooked, thin, and tasteless. $60 with tip for two cheeseburger baskets with fries. We had ice water and one lemonade. After a half dozen visits, we have yet to enjoy even one of those without some issue, mostly under staffing and under trained servers. We feel that overall, there is a lack of management supervision. On a side note, I'd like to point out that two Wendy's basic cheeseburgers with fries and beverages were $30 (yikes!) and was fresh, cooked properly, and a MUCH better hamburger patty! This last visit to Black Bear Diner, I honestly felt, "ripped off" for lack of a better description. We've been hopeful that they would have eventually turned this particular diner around by now.

We went here to grab some grub on a late Sunday afternoon. We walked in the door to people exiting grumbling about the food. We were met by the hostess who told us it would be about a 20 minute wait. While waiting a group walked out and went to another restaurant, I know this because we walked out too after about half an hour, and saw them at Logan's. Oh, did I mention that half of the tables were unoccupied?

Update: the raw burger was our first visit, second visit was good, last night have my third. Not a good experience, will not be returning. Loagens it is Just got a burger for take out. Asked for it well and it was very raw. Ate half and could not eat it because it was so raw. Update: so I keep the burger that was not enabled for several days incase they wanted to see it. As you can see that asked me to contact them. I did contact them and sent them pictures along with my order that asked for it well. I never got a response, so I sent a second. I got a reply " thanks for letting us know , we will look into it". That's it , while I really wasn't looking for anything I very disappointed in this response. I felt like they could have at least offered me a free burger since the one I had paid for was unable. My opinion of Black bear has definitely changed.

My omelet was under cooked runny. My toast had so much butter on it I couldn't eat it. The kitchen staff (Cody) was playing rap music so loud you couldn't here the music in the dining area. A waitress walking around the restaurant on her cell phone. I brought my food home to microwave it and it has a strange smell. I wouldn't even give it to my dogs. Our over all experience at Black Bear was awful. When I complained to a staff member he said the day shift must be better than the night. And needed to get back to the kitchen to make sure his patrons order was cooked correctly since that person ordered a omelet. Horrible tacky service all around. We have never had a bad experience at Black Bear. This one was so bad it needed to be told. And no we don't have a receipt because the person ringing us up couldn't get a copy.

Kaiya was awesome however we will not be returning the restaurant was uncomfortably hot when we inquired about it the owners were rude I get cutting costs but to make it where your guests uncomfortable I can't imagine how uncomfortable it is for the staff. We spent about $30 each and had to eat while we felt so uncomfortable and hot we should have just ate outside.

Charlie Green

Came in like usual for dinner there was only 1 other table a customer came in and complained about an order Oscar our server was very rude to the man and the gentleman said i will never come back he said oh well. never checked on us fries were not cooked and when we brought it up, when we paid our bill, he just laughed very unfortunate service

Andrea Pappas

I’ve tried this place twice, both times have been bad. First time, our order was wrong multiple times and the service was slow. They had just opened and I figured they were still figuring things out. Second time, walked in at 1:00pm on a Tuesday for lunch, there was only one staff member hosting and serving. The restaurant was fairly full for a weekday, and there were clearly asking the server to order because they had been waiting awhile. Not the server’s fault, but I’m shocked they didn’t have multiple staff members, or a manager on site, or someone to help him. He seemed completely overwhelmed, we probably won’t be going back any time soon.

Ee Ss

Sat 2 of us within 5 minutes of entering, and hostess was nice, and brought 2 cups coffee as requested. As we wait our turn to order and drink our coffee gone, the table next overtalks about their wait being extensive as they were there before we were. 25 minutes in we have empty cups, and 3 tables looking around for the wait person to never talk to them. The table about 15 feet away DID receive an order, though it was not theirs and had to be taken back. After 35 minutes we left your establishment, and paid for the $8 coffee on the way out. We only ever interacted with your hostess. She was pleasant. The expectation was measured at the next restaurant we went and sat at, had our order taken in 15 minutes and we were served in 30.

Gracie Bon

Food was excellent and timely, waitress was nice…however I asked why it was so hot inside the building or if the AC was broken. She informed me that it was in fact working and on but seemed uncomfortable with her answer. 10 min later I hear what appeared to be the manager or owner going around telling everyone to shut down 80% of the restaurant close all the seating they even blocked off the way to the bathrooms and seat every patron in the middle 4 tables where they will keep the air on. I understand managing costs. But this is just a poor look on management or ownership. You don’t sacrifice first the comfort of your guests. You look and sound so selfish and greedy. No wonder the mood and atmosphere seemed night and day difference from my visits the previous 2 months where everyone was joyful and happy. I became a regular here pretty quick. I just as fast will never go back knowing who I am giving my money too. 5 star for staff 1 star for the supposed “new owners”