Black Bear Diner Elk Grove — Restaurant in Elk Grove

A couple of months ago, I ordered breakfast to go--bacon, poached eggs, hashbrown potatoes, toast. It was wonderful. The hashbrowns were among the best I've eaten at a restaurant in years--I think it may have been partly fried in bacon fat, giving a really nice flavor. The bacon was flavorful and crisp. The poached egg was packed in its own container which, since it hadn't been completely drained, was perfect. The toast was perfect. A couple of weeks later, I ordered the same thing. The hashbrowns weren't nearly as good, tasting like boiled potatoes which have gooten cold, then grated and fried in an 8ndifferent oil, just kind of blah. The bacon was a bit flabby, but still flavorful, and the egg was as last time. I went to dine in a couple of weeks ago, and I told the server about my first experience, and asked if she could ask the cook to add bacon fat to the oil used to make the potatoes. She said, "Oh, no, I don't think the cook would do that!" I don't think she even asked. She really didn't want to. She wasn't the best server, not just because of that, but she just wasn't (says the former server).

The food came. The potatoes were worse than last time. I didn't eat them. The bacon was not only soft and flabby, it was old. You know that pack of bacon you opened, but then didn't use it all? And then several days later, decided to cook it, but it didn't taste or smell quite right? Yeah, that's how it tasted. I didn't finish it. I had asked for my poached egg to be in a separate bowl (thank goodness). There was enough water in it to soak through two napkins (for those that don't know, common practice is to drain the egg, set it on toweling to get rid of excess water, then plate it; yeah, I've been cooking for decades). I wasn't horribly upset, though I did have to ask for extra napkins so I could eat my egg, which I like to put on my toast, cut up, and eat. Then the topper: I take a bite of egg/toast, and it crunches. Not in a good way. I take another, cautious, bite, it was fine. I take a third bite, crunch. It had eggshells in it. I poke through and find even more eggshell. No. Just no. I tell the server, even showing her the pieces (yes, there were several) of eggshell on my plate. "Oh," she says. Not even sympathy.

I am giving two stars only because the first takeout was so good, five star good. And yes, I did pay for the meal. I even tipped, though not the generous 25% that I usually do. She got only 15%, something that would have shocked my family. So, no, I don't rec...

I frequent Black Bear diners when ever visiting friends in different cities as they typically do not disappoint. This was a terrible experience at the Elk Grove Ca location. We were seated in a booth where the seat looked like it had been slashed with a knife; and the vinyl fabric scratches as you try to move across the cushion. We only noticed condition of seats after the host abruptly walked away. As i was trying to see what side of table would work best for my friend who had a injured foot and wearing a surgical boot.Then the waitress came over to take our order. I asked if I could have honey with my coffee. My friend ordered lemonade. She brought the drinks but not the honey nor did she acknowledge she forgot it and walked away. I was resolved just to drink the coffee black, but when I picked up the mug the handle was sticky. I placed the coffee to edge of table and as she walked past our table, I guess that clued her to fact that she forgot the honey. When she came back with the honey, I told her the mug had something sticky on handle. She brought over another coffee, it was lukewarm. Our meal was delivered and I started to eat the eggs first. I ordered them over medium but they were over easy. We waited for her to come back and in the interim , I began eating the other items so those items did not get cold. Time passed and my friend , caught her attention and was able to wave her down and let her know my eggs were not cook correctly. She offered to bring more eggs but I declined since most of my meal was almost finished ; and I hate to ask food to be redone for obvious reasons. She returned to table with an order of cooked eggs and ask me how were the other eggs because she could tell since they had been broken open and spread across the plate. Then she said, I only ask "because most people don't know how to order their eggs." I told her the eggs white as well as yolks were not cooked. Then I informed her, I know how I wanted my eggs...with egg whites cooked and yolk slightly cooked; she stated yes. At this visit, we were never offered refills on our beverages or water, never offered extra napkins and had to request straws. I was deflated at this point and my friend was mad for me noting of the two meals I purchase, one was incomplete. Maybe more training is needed for waitress Baily; and the manager should have never let staff use booths in such...

My daughter and I decided to try this location in Elk Grove again after not going back for over 4 years. It was around 2 pm and we both ordered breakfast. I had ordered ham and eggs. When I ordered the waitress who was very nice said ok the omelet. I said no the ham and 2 egg breakfast. She said ok and asked how I wanted my eggs and I said over medium. When our food finally came out my daughters was correct but the waitress put a plate with an omelet in front of me. I said I didn’t order this I ordered fried eggs and she said that’s right I’m so sorry. She took my plate back and within 5 minutes brought out another with ham and 2 eggs. When I cut into the eggs it literally looked as if I had just broken a raw egg onto my plate! I waived the waitress down and showed her and she was very apologetic and I asked for what my daughter had as I was done with what appeared to be the problematic ham and 2 egg breakfast.. Within 2 minutes the assistant manager named Miriam had come to our table. She started to make a scene at our table which was highly embarrassing arguing with me that the eggs were in fact over medium. I have cooked enough eggs in my lifetime to know that those definitely were not over medium. Not even over easy is that RAW. She continued to argue with me to the point I told her to just take off my bill and that we will not be visiting this location ever again. Bad enough after getting food that I didn’t order and then to have beyond under cooked eggs put in front me that they charged me for a soda that was never even once offered to be refilled at almost $4. I will be reporting this incident to the corporate office. The managers behavior and the problematic food was beyond ridiculous, unprofessional and...