Elvia Gonzalez

We love coming to Black Bear Diner on Almond Ave, in Madera, Ca! The service is always friendly and attentive, and they never fail to make us feel welcome. The food is consistently delicious and served hot every time. They’re always happy to accommodate our needs, whether it's a special request or a dietary need. Great place for a hearty, satisfying meal with great service! It's one of those places you walk in hungry and you leave full and happy! Definitely a favorite spot!

Melanie McShane

What a wonderfully cozy and inviting surprise! I was staying at a nearby hotel, where the complimentary breakfast looked… how shall we say… like it had given up on life. So I wandered next door and landed in breakfast heaven. From the moment I stepped through the door, the Black Bear Diner felt like a hug in restaurant form. I waited no more than two minutes for a table—just enough time to admire the rustic charm—and within seconds of sitting down, I was handed a hot cup of coffee. Immediate brownie points. Or should I say, biscuit points? The menu, printed on nostalgic newsprint, not only showcases the hearty offerings but shares a bit of the diner’s backstory—a thoughtful touch that made me feel part of something a little bigger than just breakfast. I ordered the two-egg ham and cheese omelette, which was the just right Goldilocks of omelettes—light, flavorful, and generous without being overwhelming. On the side: hash browns cooked to that crispy golden finish we all secretly dream about, and a fluffy biscuit that practically begged for jam (I obliged, of course). All in all, Black Bear Diner turned what could’ve been a lackluster morning into a genuinely lovely experience. Good food, good vibes, and good coffee—what more could one ask for?

Nicole Cairo

Service was fantastic. Walked out stuffed. I recommend the bread pudding French toast it was 10/10

+6

Michelle Ma

From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for a treat. The Black Bear exceeded all expectations with its incredible food and warm ambiance. We started with the French Toasts, which was beautifully presented and packed with flavor. For the main course, the waiter JJ recommended steaks was a standout—perfectly cooked, with a balance of spices that left us wanting more. The milkshake was the perfect ending, rich and indulgent without being overly sweet. The ingredients tasted fresh, and the chef’s expertise was evident in every bite. The portion sizes were generous, and the prices were very reasonable for the quality. We highly recommend BlackBear to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. We’ll definitely be back!Thank you very much, JJ!

+2

Indo

Coming to the Madera’s Black Bear Diner location is a weekend treat for me, friends, and family that come along! This is the first Black Bear location that I’ve dined at, and it’s my favorite out of the many I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Driving all the way from Fresno, just to enjoy the great food and service that the Madera location has to offer. What draws us back is the atmosphere, the homestyle vibe of the place and the fun bear themes of the decor. The amazing, friendly staff that greets you at the door, checking up on your table of family and guests making sure everything is to our satisfaction. When you eat here, you don’t feel like you’re just an average customer, you’re part of the black bear family and get treated as such. Each visit, I make it a point to try as many different menu items as possible to get the most out of my visits. I can honestly say, I’ve been keeping track and everything I’ve tried has been delicious, upholding the quality and freshness of each dish. There has never been a dish I haven’t liked, even with a picky palette that some of the family have haha. Great big shout out to Jerry, JJ, Ray, Christa, Christina, Kara, Kim, Charity, Zuly, Stephanie, Jennifer, and Mercedes among the rest of the staff members/cooks that have made each experience dining at Black Bear Diner a memorable one. We have much love, respect, and appreciation for all they do at the Madera location and will continue our weekend tradition of dining here. A great spot for the whole family with amazing food at an amazing price. Thank you for all you do for us and the community Madera’s Black Bear Diner!! 🐻🐾❤️

+1

Szilard

Nice food, huge portions. You can triple your calorie intake for a week with one breakfast here I guess!😇 Staff is very kind and patient, the place has a good vibe too.

I was staying at the hotel next door and decided to walk over for dinner. Service was outstanding. I just ordered scrambled eggs and bacon. The eggs were perfectly cooked and not overcooked. The baco…

I was staying at the hotel next door and decided to walk over for dinner. Service was outstanding. I just ordered scrambled eggs and bacon. The eggs were perfectly cooked and not overcooked. The b…

I was staying at the hotel next door and decided to walk over for dinner. service was outstanding. I just ordered scrambled eggs and bacon. The eggs were perfectly cooked and not overcooked. The ba…

Thank you, Jerry, for helping make our holiday event such a success! You made the entire process so smooth and took a huge weight off my shoulders. The food was a hit, and your service was outstand…

Ray is an excellent server!! Definitely will come back because his service was literally top tier! Our drinks were refilled without even having to ask for refills. He checked on us regularly & ga…

Ray is an excellent server!! Definitely will come back because his service was literally top tier! Our drinks were refilled without even having to ask for refills. He checked on us regularly & gave…

Zuly was amazing and very patient and informative with my group of friends. The food was great.

Great food and service, the restaurant was clean and the people were great! I was pressed for time and wanted to have a good meal the Black Bear Diner team did a great job!

I just left Black Bear diner and had a wonderful experience. The atmosphere was wonderful in every way From the initial greeting of Stephanie to the pleasant interactions I watched both between sta…

I enjoyed the selection of food from breakfast, Lunch and Dinner during the day!! It tasted good fresh and delicious!

I absolutely love this place. The food is always killer (especially their steaks) but what made my experience so amazing, is the server Mercedes. She is a sweet soul with a listening ear. She makes…

I had a great late night breakfast!! Thank you for the great service. The environment was chill and everyone was friendly.

I had a great late night breakfast!! Thank you for the great service. The environment was chill and everyone was friendly.

I would like to start off by saying the food is amazing everytime my family and I go for breakfast. The customer service is great as well with my server being Mercedes was very polite and helpful a…

Zuly was the best service i've ever had! So sweet and attentive! Food was good and drinks were delicious

Christina was our server, and did an amazing job! Christina, kept our coffee and water filled along with CONSTANT checking in with us! Black Bear, give Christina the server a RAISE!!!!

Food was good. service was awesome Our server was Mercedes. garcia always checking in on us loved that 10/10 restaurant was clean cute decor

Checked in and they said the wait would be 30-45 minutes for a party of 8, but we were seated within 15 minutes. Food was good and to order. While crowded the atmosphere was friendly and the wait s…

The food I amazing exspacildi there pies service is amazing and there restaurant is always clean

Ray was very attentive excellent service and super nice thank you! Has a super great attitude our whole family was satisfied with his good service thank you!

Ray was very attentive excellent service and super nice thank you! Has a super great attitude our whole family was satisfied with his good service thank you!

I love the food and service at my local Black Bear. Me and my partner are there at least once a week and always receive great service from all the staff. Our server Krista was super nice and is alway…

I love the food and service at my local Black Bear. Me and my partner are there at least once a week and always receive great service from all the staff. Our server Krista was super nice and …

I love the food and service at my local Black Bear. Me and my partner are there at least once a week and always receive great service from all the staff. Our server Krista was super nice and is alw…

Omg, amazing menu and even better service, it's all you want in a breakfast spot!! Front of house manager really goes above and beyond.

Mark Scott

We've been to several Black Bear Diner Restaurants but this was our first time to visit the one in Madera California. It was about 2pm on a Saturday afternoon by the time we were free for lunch and upon our arrival we found less than half a dozen tables with guests. The food was very good and the service was very good as well. Our server was Ray and he was very friendly and attentive without "hovering". Considering it was very late for lunch and very early for dinner, the food still appeared and tasted fresh. We will be glad to drive a bit to visit this location as opposed to the Black Bear Diner nearest our home which is too busy for us at times. If you visit you will find it on Almond ave on the west side of highway 99. Access on Almond is kind of a frontage road and you can't exit here if you're traveling north. I would suggest if you're arriving from south of Madera, exit just beyond the restaurant and then immediately get back on the freeway south one exit. You will then find the restaurant right next door to a Springhill Suits Hotel.

+3

chicken fried steak tasted like it had freezer burn. Service was not bad. But, won't be going back.

We were driving the length of California and needed someplace to grab an early morning breakfast. Having eaten at Black Bears before, we were not disappointed by our choice. This is a much newe…

Pancakes were burnt on bottom, bacon was limp not crisp, strawberries were not fresh. Not an enjoyable breakfast. Menu was confusing.

Abisaito G

Food was very good but service was poorly handled!... when we got there the place was not busy and for some reason they left us waiting for a long time!... finally we got served and of the waitresses came but that was because we were insisted several times and while eating our meals we needed something else and again they left us waiting!🤔 The food and the place was very good place though!... One of the things that I like of that place was the statues and pictures of Bears 🐻 anywhere in the restaurant!... Beautiful place!🤔

7/24/23\nWent this morning for breakfast. Wasn't busy. Service was friendly, but slow. I had the steak and eggs with pancakes. The steak, a 6 Oz med rare steak, was tough. Eggs, scrambled, were…

Cute atmosphere with hit-and-miss wait staff. Portions are great but the food is obviously previously-frozen and everything is quite salty.

Cute atmosphere with hit-and-miss wait staff. Portions are great but the food is obviously previously-frozen and everything is quite salty.

Cute atmosphere with hit-and-miss wait staff. Portions are great but the food is obviously previously-frozen and everything is quite salty.

Cute atmosphere with hit-and-miss wait staff. Portions are great but the food is obviously previously-frozen and everything is quite salty.

Came across this place while staying in town. 4:30 we came in, not busy at all. waited 10-15 minutes to order. Server never came back until after we were done eating. Slow service today Food was ex…

Gator Cookie

First time visiting this location on my birthday, our avocado toast was burnt (black) I believe the chef knows exactly what he/she did. Food was served very fast but unfortunately sausage was cold as if it was sitting before arrival. I’m really not that picky but the waiter told us the toast was (well done), but I told her it was beyond well done (black charcoal), idk why the chef would lie to the waiter but I’m sure she went back to verify the difference of well done and burnt charcoal. My apologies to the sweet waiter lady. Not her fault. I blame the chef directly. Not good

Received an old biscuit with mold. I've never had such bad experience at any Black Bear diner until now. I called the restaurant and all they said was that they would check the other biscuits. The ma…

William griffin

Worst chicken fried steak I have ever had. It tasted like it was cooked in burnt oil or over used cooking oil. Our waitress was pleasant. Our cashier was grouchy and clearly didn't want to hear about my experience. I am not out to get a free meal. I paid for a party of 7.