The week of January 20th was Restaurant Week. I heard Black Bear Diner was among one of the many restaurants that participated, so I decided to pay a visit on Sunday, the last day for Restaurant Week. To my surprise, it was super busy. When my family and I arrived outside in the parking lot at about 10:30 AM, it was already packed. Customers were patiently waiting outside by the front door on a sunny Sunday morning. I knew I was going to be one of them soon.

The Ambiance

When my family and I arrived, we quickly signed in and waited to be called. We were told the wait would be twenty-five minutes, so we went back outside to enjoy the sunny morning along with others who were waiting as well. After twenty-five minutes, I didn’t hear my name called, so I went to check and was told they already called us. For some reason, their speaker outside was having issues so we didn’t hear them, nonetheless, they seated us quickly.

As we sat down at our booth, I quickly looked around. It sure was busy! I wondered if everyone was there for Restaurant Week and what the hype was all about. It was bustling with noises from people chattering, waiter/waitresses cleaning the table, and my kids were busy coloring away their menus with the crayons they were given (as you can see from the food pictures below!).

The Menu

I was anxious and excited to see what Black Bear Diner had to offer up for their Restaurant week. As I look through the menu, flipping the pages, I realized there weren’t any specials on it. When the waiter came by, I asked her if they had any specials for Restaurant Week. She kindly replied that they didn’t have anything for it, but if I’m interested in the special of the day, she will go find out. I was disappointed but made the best of our trip there. To find out more about their menu, click here.

I got the Smoked Beef Brisket Benedict, my husband got the Tri-Tip Dip, the kids each got the Cubs’ Mini Volcano. Yes, the portions were huge!

Smoked Beef Brisket Benedict

My thoughts on what we ordered? The Smoked Beef Brisket Benedict, overall, was good. The hash brown was crispy on the outside and with ketchup, what more could I ask for from a potato? The fruits were fresh (the kids devoured them all), the cheesy bacon grits were good, and the eggs were cooked to perfection (nice and gooey inside); however, the brisket is a bit tough. It’s probably because of my high expectation of brisket, but hey, this isn’t a barbecue joint, so it’s okay.

Tri-Tip Dip (eggs excluded)

The Tri-Tip Dip was on the okay end. I took a couple of bites to try it out before giving it back to my husband. The ciabatta roll was great. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The meat was lightly seasoned and the same with the au jus. It’s a bit on the lighter side for my husband and me, but for those who don’t want such intense flavor, this would be perfect for them. The garlic fries were a bit of a disappointment. The flavor was definitely there, but it was cold and soggy when we received it. Given the circumstance that they were really busy, this could just have been an oversight.

Recommendations

Would I still recommend Black Bear Diner? Of course! One negative experience doesn’t mean I shall stop. I’d definitely give them another try. Maybe next time I will try their dinner menu and see how that goes. The staff is friendly and the service was great. Also, the portion size for the entrees was big. Conversely, there may be a miscommunication about the Restaurant Week menu, but overall we enjoyed our time at Black Bear Diner. The breakfast menu was definitely a hit for my little family.