My new ATF dinner spot! Great for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Everything on the menu is cooked with care and fresh ingredients and is delivered fast & hot with generous portions.

First time was today Friday fish fry September 26 My waitress Gloria was awesome great customer service

First time eating here. Was recommended by friends. I took my fiancé and we really enjoyed its the atmosphere felt very comforting and the service was fast and efficient and the food was delicious. Definitely a spot to enjoy. Many thanks to our server Cheryl =)

Had a great experience at Black Bear Diner thanks to our server Emma. Incredibly friendly made us feel welcomed as the moment we sat down :)

Really good food, good portion sizes, excellent milkshake, excellent service and nice atmosphere

We go here every time we are in Ventura and always hope that we get Scott as our waiter. He is that great! Hands down our most favorite waiter. Scott is absolutely the best and he should be promoted to head waiter, supervisor, asst manager or manager as he would be so wonderful in any of those roles. Five star service all of the way. Thank you Scott for always being the very best.

I had a great food. My server Laura was so attentive and made my first experience with the restaurant pleasant. We will definitely be back because of her!

Tasty and quality food, friendly service by our waiter Scott, clean restaurant, and fair price! Love the small retail shop too!

Food is always delicious. Been here several times and the food never disappoints. Thank you Christa (our server) for making our breakfast dining enjoyable.

+6

The food was DELICIOUS!!! The portions are HUGE!! Well worth the price...looking at about $12-$16 average per plate but it's worth it! The orange juice was the best juice I've had in years. Tastes like they squeezed the oranges and brought it straight to my table. So good! The Waffle and Biscuits were HUGE. My wife had to take home her left overs. Very very flavourful! Everything!!!

+2

We stopped here after a day at the beach, weren't sure what to expect as ours in Simi Valley was never good. Let me tell you the food was amazing!! We had BLTs, Chicken l, Waffles and pancakes and it all was awesome....what made it over the top was our server Scott, he was the nicest server we've had in a long time. Its nice to know there is a place with awesome service and awesome food. We definitely will be going back

Our server Cheryl was OUTSTANDING. We came in with about 10 of us for a birthday and she was extremely nice to all of us and got us our food in a very timely fashion. She extended an abundance of warmth and made our time at the diner very pleasant. We would all DEFINITELY come here again and request cheryl :)

Everything was very good from the service, the food and the atmosphere of the entire diner. I got the steak and eggs plate and the steak was perfectly cooked to medium well. I will definitely come back and try different dishes.

Great food, breakfast is a must many different pancakes the Pina colada pancakes were good.

Yesterday morning I went to dine into Black Bear , The food was delicious and what made it even better was that, My server Gloria was very attentive and always had a smile , It’s good to see new faces, will FOR sure come back :).

Came in for one, came out belly full and overly satisfied with the food and service. My server lorenzo was quick with it! you can tell he knows how to do his job. The cute host was very welcoming and friendly made me feel like i was talking to one of my own friends, definitely coming back

We enjoyed the visit and meal waiter was friendly a little slow, had to ask for some stuff but we love Black Bears 🐻, we'll go back overall we liked our visit.

Came in for a quick lunch and had the chicken avocado club sandwich 🥪 it was fresh, flavorful, and really hit the spot. YUMMY! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the avocado added a nice touch. Staff was on top of everything- friendly, quick, and made sure everything was taken care of. Will definitely be back!

The service and food here was exceptional. Even though we sat outside, we were still constantly visited by our server Cheryl. She was the definition of great service. Loved it here and will be coming back.

Firstly, I have never heard of the “Black Bear Diner” before visiting the establishment. When I found out that a popular Diner-Style restaurant (that was new to this area) was about to open in Ventura, my Fiancée and I had to check it out. We frequently go out for breakfast, Eggs n’ Things being our go to spot, and this sounded like a place that could end up being a new regular for us. It came highly recommended from our friends up in Northern California, so we decided to give it a try. Our first visit was a pleasant one. Our server greeted us and asked if it was our first time. After we explained it was our first time, the server was nice enough to explain how the restaurant works and that the food portions are a bit larger than your typical breakfast joint. I guess that explains the “Black Bear” in the title. Now, for us, quantity doesn’t always mean quality. A lot of times, the quality of food is sacrificed just to maintain a larger size. That being said, we decided to try some typical American breakfast items. We got, eggs, bacon, pancakes and has browns. My dish included the Chicken fried steak with White Gravy. The food really does come in large portions, but the quality isn't necessarily sacrificed.. We enjoyed the food very much. My daughter and I really liked the Cake-Batter Pancakes. They really are delicious and it’s something we really haven’t tried before. Just as it sounds, it really does taste like a pancake made out of cake batter. Simply delicious. We highly recommend the pancakes. Just one pancake can be enough to enjoy between two adults. Just to make sure the quality of the food was consistent, we decided to go again a week or so later. My fiancée ordered breakfast, but since it was about brunch time, I decided to get a burger. I wanted the biggest burger they had. I asked our server and he explained that their "Bob's Big Burger" was already a pretty big burger, but they also have a burger that is not on the menu that they can make. Sort of like a secret menu item. He explained it was called “The Big Daddy.” It was similar to the “Bob’s big Bear Burger” which already has a 10oz patty, but “The Big Daddy” comes with two 10oz patties and a cooked egg. I decided to order it and when it came out, I was surprised by the gigantic size of burger. It truly was a beast. The burger was delicious, and it will satisfy anyone’s appetite. If you have a Bear-Size appetite, order “The Big Daddy” and you won’t be disappointed. To conclude, the Black Bear Diner really is a nice addition to the already vast restaurant options in Ventura and I really do recommend everyone to give it a try. The service, the food and the fun atmosphere gave us a pleasant experience. We will definitely be back.

+6

I had the meat loaf, but it's not your grandma's meat loaf! This had a really good taste to it, but it had vegetables plus other ingredients that were wonderful! That was enough for 2 people. Had to have a to go box. Only thing is $4.29 for iced tea is a little too high!

Went on Memorial Day and this place was packed with a 45 minute wait. We got in before that though. The food was amazing. Salmon was good, green beans delicious, French toast so good and the sandwich was also good. I definitely recommend this place. Staff was friendly but not very attentive.

+1

This was the first time I had ever been to a Black Bear Diner and it did NOT disappoint! I got the Bear Claw French Toast with scrambled eggs and the roasted pepper chicken sausage. Everything was delicious, but let me say that you need to try the chicken sausage! I've never had any so delicious before. Also, the staff was beyond friendly and very attentive. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try. I'll for sure be going back soon.

I have been a loyal patron of Black Bear Diner since it opened nearby, and I can confidently say that this establishment just keeps getting better. From the consistently excellent service to the delicious food, every visit is a pleasure. One of the standout features for me is their commitment to customer satisfaction. I truly appreciate how they bring me a fresh bottomless iced tea before I even finish my first one—such a classy touch! The portions here are large and always served hot, which is a big plus. The dining area is pleasantly air-conditioned, and for those who prefer a more relaxed atmosphere, they also have a spacious shaded patio. Additionally, there is a special events room available for local organizations, which is great for community gatherings. Convenience is another strong point of this diner. There’s ample parking, clean bathrooms, and it’s right by a gas station and Vons Grocery Store. Plus, getting on and off the 101 freeway couldn’t be easier. Now, for the food recommendations—I highly suggest trying the Cobb salad with spicy crispy chicken topped with blue cheese dressing. Be sure to ask for the salad tossed with the spicy chicken on top for the best experience. And for breakfast? You can’t go wrong with any option, but definitely consider starting with the hot Italian sausage patty as an appetizer. I can assure you that after dining here, you’ll leave feeling like you truly got your money's worth. Bon appétit!

So glad there's finally a Black Bear Diner in Ventura! This place is always hopping and it's no surprise - the food is delicious, the atmosphere is fun, and the service is great. Huge portion sizes and good quality ingredients. For my most recent visit I got a Denver omelette with mushrooms. Cheryl was a fantastic server and made sure we had everything we needed. Can't wait for my next visit!

We were passing through and the driver highly recommended for me to try Black Bear Diner. This is my first visit. We were greeted by the friendly hostess, who also cashed us out at the end. Our waitress was friendly and made sure our drinks were refilled. I ordered the TriTip meal and the driver ordered The Grits. The food was delicious and filling for sure! The hash browns were homemade and was not greasy at all. The three slices of steaks were seasoned just right. I'm glad we stopped and tried it. The ambience and vibe is fun and family friendly also. They have a little area for their merchandise. Very nice items for gifts or for yourself. My favorite was the USE o especially with hoodie and removable bottom for my kid. Will try other locations. A FANTASTIC first time experience and without hesitation recommend Black Bear Diner.

Went to black bear, i gotta say this place never dissapoints us. The manager javier is awesome he took the time to come over and make sure everything was ok. High five to the manager. The food is great, delicious and portions are AMAZING. All staff is friendly and courteous. Just they type of service one expects. Thank you black bear!!! Daamm this burgers is the bomb!! I highly recommend this to anyone with an appetite. Service is great and very friendly. Atmosphere is awesome.. I will definitely come here again!!!. UPDATE... Went to black bear this morning. OMG the orange juice is UNBELIEVABLE!! You have to try it. Its So fresh!!. The food is great and awesome, had the tri tip dip and the chicken avocado club, both were awesome. The service is on point. The manager Javier was so cool and introduced himself to us to make sure everything was ok. Fantastic service!

I went to try this place out last week, and even though it was busy the service was great my server Emma was so friendly and always making sure we had what we needed.the food was delicious. I would definitely be coming here again. Ask for Emma 👍

The food was great I ordered pot roast and my bf ordered a tri tip sandwhich the food exceeded our expectations we will definitely be returning however Me and my family were waited on by Scott I just wanted to leave him a good review he was very kind and treated us with speedy service I feel like all workers should be like Scott it was our first time there and he was very welcoming

Great restaurant. Big portions. I like to woodsy cabin decor. Friendly staff. We had the Denver omelette and California omelette and they were great. The biscuit and gravy was very tasty and bigger than I expected. I would go to this restaurant again the next time I'm in Ventura.

Had a wonderful experience for my Birthday. The food was amazing and Manny was awesome. He catered to our every need. Will be eating there often now. Thank you Manny and Big Bear Diner.

We love Black Bear diner. Coffee service was a little slow this time around, but everything was excellent. Love the swag at the counter. Pumpkin spice pancakes were awesome!

Lovely restaurant! Here is really good for family group and many choices for food. I had a chicken Cobb salad and orange juice. Also, highly recommend their burgers and sandwiches!

+6

Had a early dinner here and everything was awesome! Our server Cheryl was sweet, attentive and always had a smile in her face. The food was delicious and affordable. The jukebox in the front was a lot of fun too! We'll definitely be returning when we're in the area!

The food was excellent. The server Christa Ortiz is the bomb. She was very polite and made sure everything was ok. Looking forward to having her as our server next time we go.

First time eating at Black Bear Diner! We had a great experience. Cheryl Was our waitress and absolutely amazing. I wish we had this diner back home.

Cheryl, our server, was absolutely amazing! Ten of us came in for our friend's birthday and we all received our food fairly quickly. The food was also great! I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to eat good food and have a good time!

10 Stars for my server Gloria , amazing breakfast , clean restaurant, and great service.I always come back to Black Bear because Gloria Serves whit a smile and is always kind and positive. !!! When u love what you do. It shows . Great job Gloria , !! Great job Black Bear More servers like her .

Went for a late nite Friday all you can eat fish fry special in Ventura. We were seated promptly and Scott was our waiter and he didn't miss beat. The bottomless drinks never went dry and the fish kept coming in small batches very hot and yummy. This was the first time visiting this location. We'll be back. Thanks Richard

We love the Black Bear in Ventura! Very happy that the prices were reduced since opening, and you still get a plate full of great food, and will definitely have leftovers. Plus, their gravy is the best I've found in California since moving from the south (no sausage, but perfect seasoning). Lorenzo is our favorite server and we request him when he's not too busy. The female manager is also amazing. Highly recommend for a great breakfast or lunch (especially the Shasta Scramble with egg whites if your watching nutrition - delicious and they don't skimp on the veggies). We are already regulars, and will continue to be!

Always loved black bear diner living in OC. I would frequent their Sants Ana store. Now they have one in the former Carrows off of Seward and its awesome! Some of my favorite pancakes on earth

Genesis Sanabia

Our server, Gloria, was a total star – incredibly friendly, genuinely enthusiastic about the menu, she made some recomendations that elevated our meal. She anticipated our needs, kept drinks full without hovering, and made us feel comfortable, and welcome! we will definitely be going back with a hope that she'll be our server again.

Daphne Elias

Gloria was absolutely amazing! From the moment we were seated, she made us feel so welcomed and taken care of. She was attentive, friendly, and always made sure we had everything we needed without us having to ask. Her positive attitude and great customer service truly made our experience at Black Bear Diner in Ventura even better. We will definitely be coming back and asking for her again. Thank you, Gloria!

Lonn Holiday

I love Black Bear. Today I ordered a Swiss bull (French dip with Swiss cheese). I have eaten "several" Swiss bulls. The best of them have threatened but not achieved equal to the one I had today. The bar has been reset.

Margaret S

We recently held our group Christmas party in the large banquet room. I wanted to compliment the efficiency of our servers, Gloria and Lorenzo. The food was organized so well, and they dished up servings for over 60 people in a timely and friendly manner. They were on hand all evening and kept the party running smoothly. Also, a big thank you to the manager, Jesus, for laying the groundwork for this event.

Joann Davis

Black Bear Diner accommodated our party of 14 after my aunts funeral. They gave us a large private room. The service was great and the food was fantastic. Thank you Ventura Black Bear Diner. You were wonderful and took great care of us when we really needed it. We will be back!

Debra Knowles-Hill

We had a wonderful brunch with great food and excellent service. Manny was attentive to our orders and even brought out a Free Ice Cream Sundae for my brother's Birthday celebration. Great experience!

Rogelio Jimenez

This is not my 1st time reviewing Black Bear and I have to say my brothers and sisters, never been disappointed. Great awesome breakfast, my family enjoys the restaurant. Service is good food is magnificent, very tasty, I really recommend this place. You will not be disappointed, so come and see for yourselves if you have never been here. Like always feed your food souls and God bless.

+38

Fresh One's

Food and service was Good. First time there Came from the Bay Area. It was soo good, plate was Cleaned. Our server was chill and made sure we were good.

Elijah Lyall

I came with a group of 8 without reservation, but they were able to find us a space, as there is an extra room with lots of extra space. The atmosphere throughout the restaurant is cozy and family friendly. Cheryl was our server and she was lovely, personable, and patient with us. The food was also excellent—I got a Hobo omelette and hash browns, which was the perfect size for a hungry dude. The prices are also quite reasonable for Ventura. It was a great lunch and I’d recommend it to anyone visiting!

One 12

Great spot for an American style dinner with plenty of options. We appreciated that they offer both large and smaller plates, which makes it easy to share or choose the right size.

Ryan Petitfils

I had breakfast at Black Bear Diner in Ventura and Cheryl was my server. She was super friendly and made sure I had everything I needed. I got the sausage patties with eggs and it was really good, with a big portion that filled me up. Prices aren’t bad either. It’s also one of the few dog-friendly spots right off Seaward, which makes it even better. I’ll definitely be back.

Wandering in Paradise

Always a pleasant time at Black Bear Diner! Definitely a place you can feel comfortable and food that makes you feel even more comfortable. We enjoyed the California omelette, soup of the day, and kid’s Mac and cheese. The food came out quickly. The service was very friendly and accommodating. Love how they are dog friendly. Recommend!

Kareen Richards

I enjoyed my meal. Had eggs, chicken sausage and fruits , grits, hash brown waffles, pancakes. Great spot gives you lots of food. Worth the price. Will definitely come back

+3

Cali Roots562

My first time in a Black Bear diner and I’m giving this place a solid 10/10! The bacon was cooked to perfection, the eggs were delicious but the pancakes knocked it out of the park. My server was also very friendly and attentive, overall a great experience here I can’t wait to come back and try some other things from their huge menu!

E M

After a day hosting a Scottish booth at the Ventura Fairgrounds, it was nice to have a BBDiner to get a hearty meal. I tried the chicken& waffles 🧇 😋 combo, & was pleasantly surprised by the chicken. My hubby opted for the fish and chips. Too much batter on the fish. We came back the next day & chose to sit at the counter. Our waiter Paul greeted us again. If you go just to be served by him it is worth the trip. We both ordered from the less menu which was the perfect amount. A meatloaf dinner and chicken fried steak. My cornbread muffin was cold, so I took it with me to eat later. We got a Bear claw to share later. It tasted horrible 😫. I actually spit it out. At $10 worst purchase. So, don't waste your $$$. Oh yeah, it comes in a plastic box--more trash. Try compostable bags, please! Staff decorated for Halloween, so that was nice. Another BBD for the travel game. Thanks ya all!

+4

Chicken fried steak is bomb, eggs are meh... but the absolute worst hash browns I've ever had in my life. So bad! So mushy and soggy, and the first bite I took tasted like I ate a spoonful of horseradish 🤢

This is a big place but there was only one person working the whole dunning room at breakfast time. She was responsible for bussing the tables also. Needless to say the service was slow and the food was just slightly warm. Could be a great place if they staffed properly.

Fair prices for good food & a very cool atmosphere. We've never heard of this restaurant chain until last weekend. The next time we are in the neighborhood, we'll be back.

Very cozy atmosphere and wonderful service too. The portion size is generous and food is delicious. Great place!

The food and service are great. The music they play is WHACKY as hell. Like comically bad. Everything else was spot on.

Our server Scott was very nice and sweet we loved him and the food was good 😊

Large portions. Hashbrowns aren't your typical hashbrowns. Not like IHOP or Dennys... but still pretty good. Plenty of seating for large groups. They have a lot of nice Bear 🐻 merchandise. Plenty of parking outside and restrooms are extremely well kept. Pancakes are so so, but large portion meals.

Delicious meatloaf and the chicken Fried Steak was crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. Just right!! The prices are a little high. They actually have a $20 burger on the menu. Staff were very attentive. Update: 2nd visit about a year later. Came for lunch this time. Food is still very good, but the service was very slow this time. Restaurant was only partially full and it took over 30 minutes to get our food. Not great when you have to get back to work.

Locaated right off the express way outside the busy city of Ventura. Very clean and nice inside. The people and atmosphere was great. Service was a little slow but it was my first time at this establishment and they were very busy. Parking was easy and the wait to be seated wasn’t very long at all. Food was great!

Food was delicious 😋 black bear is good for any time of the day the have options I ordered the stuffed blackberry toast and my god they are amazing. And my man ordered basic toast, either one they are sooo good. Service wasn't great what was ok it was a bit busy.

Finally got to stop in and try this place. Its a great atmosphere. The employees were all very friendly. There were some regular customers there and the staff all knew them and taked to them, it was nice to see that. The food was just okay. We ordered a trip-tip dip and a Reuben sandwich. The portions were big, but the sandwiches were not that great. The tri tip was obviously reheated. The meat gets a flavor after its been cooked and reheated, and i don't really care for that flavor. The hero roll it came on was nice and soft and held up nicely. The Reuben was a bit too soggy, too much sauce, and kind of just fell apart. Our server was great. Really friendly and kept our drinks full. We will definately be back to chek out some other dishes, see if they hold up any better then todays sandwiches. They also have little pies and baked goods that I will be trying next time! (I will update this review once we try some other items!)

+1

Staff is very friendly. Biscuits are amazing! Love the mount shasta scramble. Eggs Benedict were okay. Hash browns are extra thick cut yummy yummy. The plates are nice full with the checker board border, ready set go! Breakfast home fries were a little under cooked but came with onions and potatoes.

Monica Flux

We both had the small meatloaf meal which was a lot of food and I couldn't eat all of mine. It would have been better if the food came out hot. It was warm and more at room temperature.

Gold Seal Standards Audit

Gold Seal Standards LLC Independent Audit Report: Black Bear Diner Our auditors recently conducted an independent on-site audit of Black Bear Diner to evaluate its service quality, staff professionalism, facility maintenance, food standards, and overall customer experience. The following summarizes our findings. Initial Impressions & Environment Upon arrival, auditors entered as a large group of guests was leaving, providing a clear view of staff responsiveness and cleanliness during transition periods. Auditors were promptly greeted and seated without delay. At the time of seating, there were approximately five other active parties in the dining area. The dining floor showed visible debris, but an employee immediately began sweeping and cleaning the area, demonstrating attentiveness and a commitment to maintaining cleanliness during operating hours. Service Experience Service began promptly. A server approached the table quickly to take drink orders, presenting a professional demeanor and a friendly attitude. However, the employee did not wear a name tag or introduce herself initially, limiting accountability and the opportunity for personalized feedback. Drinks were delivered in under two minutes, indicating excellent service efficiency. Food orders were placed at 2:10 p.m., and meals were served at 2:27 p.m.--a commendable turnaround time that reflects strong kitchen coordination and staff communication. During this period, the server identified herself as Christa and maintained a high standard of service throughout the visit. She was professional, courteous, and consistently checked in on the table after food was served. Her attentiveness and positive attitude contributed meaningfully to the overall experience. All employees observed appeared focused, productive, and engaged in their tasks. There were no signs of idleness or disengagement, reflecting a well-managed and motivated team. Food Quality Auditors reported that the food arrived hot, well-prepared, and fresh. Portion sizes were appropriate, and presentation met expectations. Notably, the Crispy Chicken Salad featured extremely crisp pieces of chicken, which detracted from the overall dish. The combination of quality preparation and temperature control reflected strong kitchen standards and attention to consistency. Facility Conditions Men's Restroom: The restroom was stocked with all necessary supplies, including soap, toilet paper, seat covers, and paper towels. Hot water was functional, and the space had a generally clean scent. However, auditors noted urine stains, minor graffiti, and trash accumulation around the sink area. It was also noted that a father with several young children exited just prior to the inspection, suggesting that staff may not have been aware of the restroom's condition at that moment. Women's Restroom: Hot water was available, and supplies were adequately stocked. However, the stalls contained trash, the changing table had discarded napkins and waste, and the trash receptacle was full. These issues indicate the need for more frequent restroom checks during high-traffic hours to maintain consistent sanitation standards. Permit Visibility: Valid operating permits were clearly displayed outside the establishment. However, auditors did not observe a visible health grade score, which is required by California state law and should be posted prominently. ••• Gold Seal Standards LLC will conduct a follow-up audit to verify corrective actions and continued compliance. Establishments serving the public bear a responsibility to maintain excellence not only in food and service but also in hygiene, presentation, and transparency. Gold Seal Standards LLC (G.S.S) "Where every detail matters."

+8

I purchased the Volcano meal which included; eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes. The food was fair/good. My sausage was very cold and the bacon had a weird taste. The eggs were cooked nicely and the pancakes were very tasty. Overall I felt everything was fair/good. Nothing to rave about, but I would give the place a second chance.

I live in Vegas where you get gouged on the price of food in the restaurants. It's always nice to visit Ventura because I save alot in comparison. However when we ate at the Black Bear in Ventura the prices were actually higher than our Back Bear at home?! Service was better than our Black Bear at home and the restaurant was cleaner. This is a reflection of good management. However the high price for simple breakfast food takes this location off my list of restaurants I will be returning to.

Love this place but it has gotten way too expensive. $20+ average for breakfast or lunch. Talk about inflation and once you add taxes & tip, forget about it. Food is great and not to mention service, but not all of us can go there often if these prices keep going through the roof. Just my thoughts...

Service: server was nice, but there was no hostess or anyone to welcome you in immediately. When I was seated, it went pretty standard with the waitress immediately asking me if I wanted anything to drink. Food came out very quick roughly 10 minutes. Food: quality of the food looks ok. For a chain this is a good choice. Cleanliness: place is somewhat clean. Kitchen looks clean and everything looks well organized. Bang for your buck: it is pretty cheap for the amount you get. However for a diner it is pretty expensive coming to an average price of ≈ $27 a person.

J P

I was hoping for a great diner experience, but it was rather average. Service average. Food was good with large portions. However, you definitely pay for this extra portion - on the pricey side.

Waited almost 10 minutes to be seated. The restaurant did not seem to be that busy. Six tables max occupied. A couple in line in front of us walked out, telling us they'd had enough. I kept catching one of the server's eyes, but she didn't know how to multitask, so we almost walked out. During meal service, my meal came first, five minutes later my companion's meal arrived. Interesting, I noted this type of service occurred frequently. At one table across from us, meals arrived one at a time for the four diners. Probably won't go back to this restaurant chain in the future.

Stopped on Christmas Day. The majority of the silverware, cups, and utensils were not washed adequately. The environment itself is nice for a diner. Service is okay. Neither bad nor good. Wouldn’t stop again though.

Love this place and the food but they are severely understaffed. Food takes forever and they have a bad workflow of not knowing what food they have available until your order gets to the cook. I waited almost an hour for my food just to be told they didn’t have what I wanted. Poor staff is running around all over the place and can’t seem to keep up with the demands. Some days they only have one or two people working. This place can be really great, but management needs to put more thought into how this place is operating and take better care of their people.

Lorenzo was very rude and unfriendly. Firs off our water cups one had something on outside so hard we couldn't wipe off. And the other something floating inside. Well we ask him to change it he seemed like it was a issue. Then he was rude sounding getting out order down. Next food came and we had told him hasbrowns with onions and cheese. Well he brought food out and it had eggs with onions and cheese. He really dint like that when I told him. So if you get Lorenzo please prepared to get rude service. Also the hashbrowns he brought back were barely cooked and raw onions.

A few months ago I came here with my grandma, in the beginning when I walked in there was a short line and staff seated us quickly. We ordered about 15 mins later, at this point it is rush hour so I understood why it took a while to get our order. They ended up forgetting our order, and the waitress that was waiting on us never checked up on us. I was there through 2 rush hours, and somehow convinced my grandma to wait for our food. (Also they were cleaning with some sort of chemical that was making me and my grandma cough like crazy) Finally another waitress THAT WAS NOT OUR WAITRESS after ours shift had ended after about 1 hour and than we got out food 15 mins later. The food was amazing, we ordered eggs Benedict, and a pancake with hash browns(because we had a coupon that gave us 1 free meal that our original waitress had approved) the bacon came back almost raw even though we asked for it medium well (if you get bacon ask for it well) when we went to the counter to pay the staff there immediately left and came back 25 mins later and rang us up. Although our previous waitress had let him know it is valid he decided not to accept it saying that it was the wrong location but the location is on the paper slip. The total for eggs Benedict, 1 pancake and hash browns is almost $50 . There is one near woodland hills that has much better service, the bacon is cooked properly, and they accept coupons that are acceptable. Would not recommend Ventura location, do not go, instead go to ANY OTHER ONE!!! my grandma has sworn never to go back, and she never holds grudges.

Su Schachter

Just don't even try it unless you want mediocre food for a very high price after a very long wait to be served. And when we said something to the shift manager she just looked at us. But really, $15.99 for a toast cheese sandwich with no sides, not even a slice of tomato? An avocado toast which is one slice of supermarket sliced bread with some chopped avocado on top which I got to mush around myself and still barely covered the bread + about 8 bites of fruit - $13.99?? And the fries we ordered came when we were about 3 bites from finishing our sandwiches, after asking about them 3 times and being told, "right away," which turned out to be 20 minutes! Why did we stop to eat there, you ask? Hungry and read some reviews and saw the fairly high rating, and we were tired and apparently stupid heading home after a 15-hour flight. Don't make the same mistake! Eat elsewhere!!

Waited for 15 minutes to be seated with no acknowledgement, like we'll be with you as soon as possible, food and service is usually better

Terrible customer service!! The place was empty. One waitress and the manager were there. The waitress ignored us. Trying to get a glass of water and napkins. Never going back.

Place was practically empty at 1pm but had to wait for someone to seat us. Took another 10 minutes for the waitress to show up and take drink orders. Another 10 to take food order of regular hamburgers. I ordered mine medium rare....waitress stated I'd probably have to listen to a speech by the manager about under cooked food... Almost 20 minutes for food to show. This was becoming an experience... Food finally shows and as I'm looking at my burger I can see it's almost burned so I cut it open and it's not even close to medium rare. Called waitress back and told her they need to fire the cooks and I never got that speech!! She apologized and got the manager to take the burger off the bill. Burgers were middle of the road at best. Unlikely to try another of their locations.

Me and the wife stopped at the diner this morning around 10:30. Diner wasn’t that busy. We were seated quickly by the hostess. 5 minutes go by and no server presented themselves. Another 5 minutes the hostess walks by. I grabbed her attention and asked for some coffee and a tea for my wife. She stated they would have another server come by quickly. Finished my coffee and had no server come by. We got up went the cashier and tipped the hostess and left. Absolute worst experience

If I could give this place zero stars I would. The service is super slow and the building was as hot as my pancakes. Definitely would not bring a family here. Definitely would turn the A/C on because the butter says keep refrigerated between 33-44°F AND ITS 80°F+ in here

I only had dessert but it was horrible! I ordered banana cream pie and it wasn't pie at all. It wasn't even baked. It was a disposable mini pie tin filled with fake artificially flavored instant banana pudding. It had no real bananas in it. The pudding topped a layer of loose graham cracker crumbs (factory made). It was not a crust, just crumbs and finally it was topped with fake artificially flavored whipped topping. I was so disappointed.

On 11/13/25 I went in to the Ventura, CA location on my lunch hour. I was sat a table immediately. After that I was ignored for 10 minutes by a waitress. There were 5 tables being occupied at the time. The waitress was more concerned with cleaning a table than taking my order. I ended up getting up and leaving so I could actually get some lunch.

Ordered biscuits and gravy for takeout…minimal gravy on top of the unspilt biscuits. Definitely not how biscuits and gravy should be served. Very disappointing. Feel like I should get my money back.

Went to the counter. .after 5 min the ONLY employee in the building other than the cook says he be right with me. 10 more minutes later i go to leave. I tell the same only employee id hate to come here when busy. He smart alecky says Thats how it is here ..only 3 people in whole place at lunchtime. I says No manager. ?he again says No thats how it is here. Papa Bear Manley and Black Bear Diner should be ashamed. .now they Will come on with their Standard pitiful line Sorry for your experience and were constantly trying to do better. A BIG FAT LIE. Black Bear Diner is A high Priced joke here

james leech

It's certainly common for businesses to be closed on New Year's Day, but some remain open. We were looking forward to having breakfast at Black Bear in Ventura because we'd heard good things about it. When we checked Google maps to see if you would be open, the best we could get was "holiday hours may vary." No update. Strike one. When we called, there was no answer and no recording with hours. Strike two. When we went by it was closed, with no sign on the door. Strike three. Congratulations. You must be doing very well if you don't need to provide information to your potential customers. The management at this location may need some adult supervision. Denny's and Cafe Nouveau were open, BTW. Happy New Year.