Black Bear Diner Buena Park — Restaurant in Buena Park

Where to begin.... I'm only giving 1 star because our server Karina went above and beyond. Other than that, I'll never set foot in that dump again and I'll make sure to turn away anyone else thinking going to this joint. We called to make a reservation for Sunday brunch to be told that's not done there . However, we were assured that since we had called ahead they would take that into consideration. Guess what? They did not take into consideration! We get there and are told to wait, which we did. 20+ minutes later we're called and taken in to be seated in what can be best described as an enclosed porch. Mind you, it's August. Sure they have fans, which are set to the lowest speed imaginable, and the only ventilation provided are 2 open doors, one of them facing a very busy street. Right away I politely ask the host if there's anything available inside - where it's nice and cool - and he could not be bothered. He lamented that other people were already waiting and if we wanted to be inside it'd be another 20+ minutes. And so, our hand was forced and we had to stay put. I looked around and noticed that only the big parties are the ones being made to eat in the summer heat. We were six, another group was around eight and another was around a dozen people (in the mix there was everyone from babies to the elderly and I don't even want to imagine their discomfort). This made me realize that the others who were waiting - groups no bigger than 3 - were the ones chosen to be inside. At this point I'm pretty much holding back tears and feel completely dejected. We had such high hopes for this outing only to find ourselves uncomfortable and disappointed. Personally, I was hoping this was going to be a repeat of a visit in Davis but it was a total 180. I was feeling so horrible that I lost my appetite and had to stop myself from bursting into tears several times. Once my party was done with their meals, which from the looks were subpar at best, the (nearly $100) check was paid. Again we had to deal with the apathetic host. I know we all have our issues and problems but this fella acts like the kind that only shows up to work to get a paycheck, no more no less. I've read other reviews and compared to my experience others have had it worse. One would think that we all learn from our mistakes but here we are again! What really sent me over the edge was the feeling of not being welcomed. As aforementioned, our server was excellent but it is not enough to make up for any of this awfulness. All I have left to say is: See ya' never! P.S. Please don't bother with the whole "So sorry, please reach out to us and send us your info!" mea culpa because you'll just be...

This was my first time visiting, and while the food was genuinely good, I quickly understood why the place was nearly empty on a Sunday afternoon.

When I pulled into the empty parking lot, a man I assume was the manager — older, bald, and walking aimlessly — gave me a frustrated look like I wasn’t supposed to be there. It was a strange and unwelcoming first impression.

Once inside, we were seated by a friendly hostess, and our waitress Debra was incredibly kind and attentive. Unfortunately, what unfolded next made the whole experience uncomfortable. We watched Debra politely and repeatedly ask the kitchen for missing items — like onions for a dish — and the cooks just stared at her angrily, refusing to respond. At one point, they started aggressively slamming plates down on the server window.

Debra kept asking for the correct items so she could properly serve her tables, and they continued ignoring or stonewalling her. It was clear she was trying her best, but being completely disrespected and unsupported. What shocked me most was that the manager sat at the bar just a few feet away, watching the chaos unfold and doing absolutely nothing. Not once did he step in to help, communicate, or de-escalate.

At one point, the kitchen even sent out a duplicate plate after she clearly told them it wasn’t needed. The poor woman was practically begging for the correct food for her guests, and it honestly felt like I was watching a live episode of Kitchen nightmares.

I truly feel bad for the owner of this restaurant. Whoever is paying the kitchen staff and that manager is being taken for a ride. If you replaced that toxic back-of-house team and the disengaged manager, this place could thrive. The food is good — better than expected — but the hostile kitchen environment and complete lack of leadership are driving customers away.

Do better. You’ve got something here, but it’s being sabotaged...

It was our first time visiting this place and we were a little bit unsure about it reading mixed reviews. Upon entering what felt like a cabin in Big Bear... we were amused first of all, then we were happy to be greeted by one of the nicest host we have ever had. A nice lady named... Christina, sat us immediately. She answered all our first timer gazillion questions with a smile on her face and she gave the nicest, funniest, responses she could give in her opinion. 😆 We had a good laugh and then made our choices. Low and behold, and surprisingly enough, we were happy with our choices made. My review is a good one. I had the 2, 2, and 2; and it was pretty darn good. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the bacon was very, very good from other establishments I have been to. I personally make better F.T. though...Lol, they were pretty good. 😉 The cornbread muffins were too good and we restrained ourselves to just having two. Highly recommend to get some of those. 😋 My Mom had the Salmon and she didn't even talk because she loved it so much and kept eating it. 🤣 My daughter had the pot roast and it very was tender and OMG... the red roasted mashed potatoes did remind us of good ol' Disneyland. So in our opinions we really like the dishes we had and can't wait to return to try other items. 🥰Oh, and one more thing... I left with the prettiest stone bear necklace that I can't wait to wear. Till next time, thank you Black Bear Diner, Christina, and staff for a great...