Black Bear Diner Riverton — Restaurant in Riverton

My spouse and I visited the Black Bear Diner in Riverton this evening and ordered the New York steak and eggs, as well as the chicken fried steak and eggs. Hannah was our server.

Unfortunately, the steak came out looking quite unusual—it was a pale grayish-white color with no sear, resembling more of a boiled texture than a grilled one. The interior was also overcooked. Hannah kindly had the chef, Chris, remake the steak. When the second steak arrived, it was slightly less cooked inside but still had the same off-putting color and chewy texture. While it was seasoned well, the overall execution and appearance were disappointing.

On our way out, we asked the chef what temperature he uses to cook the steaks, since it lacked the caramelization and crust typically expected from a seared steak. He informed us they cook at 350°F and mentioned that “they’re not a steakhouse,” implying that this is just how their steaks are. While we weren’t expecting fine dining, we were surprised by the lack of basic searing technique.

As regular customers—both dining in and through DoorDash, often 3–4 times a week—we’ve never had a steak come out like this. Our intent was simply to understand and share feedback, not to complain or ask for a refund. Unfortunately, our conversation was met with hostility. Both the chef and another server (a red-haired waitress working alongside Hannah) became visibly confrontational and defensive. Hannah seemed uncomfortable and disengaged, turning her back to us and not addressing the issue further.

Out of curiosity, we called two other Black Bear locations (Draper and West Jordan) after leaving, and both locations provided excellent customer service. They took the time to explain possible reasons for the steak's appearance and were polite and professional in doing so.

We paid for our meals and took them to go, but the experience left us disappointed. It’s disheartening, especially as loyal customers, to be met with hostility when offering feedback. We hope the staff at this location can recognize the value of constructive criticism and understand that respectful customer input is vital to a business’s success. Moving forward, we’ll likely choose a different Black...

This was my second time ever going to a Black Bear Diner. Coincidentally, the first time was at this same restaurant. The first time I had fish and chips because the chicken pot pie was not in season. So I was excited to know it was on the menu today. But what a HUGE disappointment!! I have three major issues with it. First, the pie was not that large. For a restaurant that boasts generous portions this pie was small. I even had to double-check with my server, Jared, to confirm that my order wasn't a smaller version somewhere else on the menu, like a lighter version of the pot pie. I saw they had that option for another dish, the chicken fried steak, that's either 5 or 10 oz. But he informed me this was the only pot pie option. Secondly, I would not call it a chicken pot pie. It was a 70% thick croissant bread with a 30% filling inside. I would have had more meat and veggies by ordering a croissant chicken sandwich instead. Third, the filling inside was a bunch of mush doused in black pepper. Where was the "creamy gravy"? I couldn't tell what vegetables were included in the mush. It was so thick that when I scooped out a portion, the food may not have left my spoon if I had flipped my spoon upside-down. And speaking of vegetables, the menu states the chicken pot pie comes with side vegetables. When my meal arrives, I have the pot pie with a small corn on the cob. Jared tells me the corn is the vegetable of the season. I believe the menu should then say, the pot pie accompanied with "a" vegetable of the season and not, a side of vegetables. The worst part is, I paid $13.79 for this "chicken pot pie" and I was still hungry! Next time I want a chicken pot pie, maybe I should just go to my local grocery store and buy a Marie Calendar's chicken pie, from the frozen section. That pie would have the creamy gravy, nice chunks of chicken, and a good vegetable assortment with only 20% bread crust. At least I would be full and have spent...

Where to start: 1. Suspect this diner is under new management. We have eaten there before and had 4 star food and service. 2. Starting with the attitude of the waitress, not the expected experience. She needed an attitude adjustment. The assistant manager agreed. 2. The wait to prepare the food was as usual. It was put under the lights to keep it warm. After close to 8 minutes under the light I asked the waitress if that was our order? Rather than checking on it, she went to the assistant manager and had words with him, apparently about us. Then went to the counter to collect our food order and brought it to the table. It was Friday night, All-You-Can-Eat-Fish-Fry… 3 of us ordered fish. After sitting under the heat lamps, one piece of fish was all-one member of our family could eat… The waitress disappeared… one member of our party asked for corn on the cob rather than the typical coleslaw. There was a worm 🐛 on the corn cob that had eaten an area of about the size of a quarter in the middle of the cob. You couldn’t miss the hole, the blackened ring around it, or the worm. That was it. I call the Assistant Manager over showed him the worm and asked him to get rid of his “pet”. I saw him take the plate, worm and all over and talk to the waitress. I read her lips and watched her laugh. She thought it was hilarious. The Assistant Manager on duty, Comped all 5 of our meals. An appreciated jester after our experience. However, we won’t be returning anytime soon… word to future customers, examine your food before taking your first bite… you might get more than you bargained for. Below recommendations, any thing but the all you can eat...