I received the following message about a disappointing experience at the Black Bear Diner in Reno. While I clearly cannot verify what happened, I’m happy to provide a forum for people to tell about their dining experiences – good or bad.
At about 8:00 p.m., Sunday, October 1, my wife and I supped at the Black Bear Diner on S. Virginia in Reno, one of the cities that never sleeps. We were informed by the waitress that there was no more soup and no more salad, two items that are offered with any dinner. There was no mention of a substitute (dessert, for instance) or price adjustment. Too weary from our long day’s drive to seek another place, we ordered: grilled cheese sandwich and hot tea for my wife, and a chicken-fried steak for myself.
Well, right off, my wife had to send back a dirty cup. When the food arrived, my wife’s grilled cheese sandwich was extremely greasy. My chicken-fried steak consisted of a microscopically thin slice of meat encased in a hard and greasy batter, all swathed in a colorless but salty “gravy”. There was also a side dish of lkewarm green beans immersed in a murky sea of pot liquid. Normally not a fussy eater, I left most of my dinner untouched on the plate, as did my wife with hers, eliciting no response from the waitress.
Our dinner choices in no way justify Black Bear Diner’s claim of providing wholesome, healthy, family-like food. Altogether, the place seemed to be run by a staff of very young people with little experience and more interest in each other than in customer service. I would not grade this place, even with an F, but would simply not go there.
Hank Slangal
We can relate to your experience. We stopped at the black bear in salinas in california. I have to say this was the most horrible experience yet. To begin with we had to wait over 20 minutes for a \table when iti was obvious the place was pacticallly empty. There was 2 younger girls working and the manager.??????? we were finally seated only to have to wait for additonal 15 minutes to have our drink order taken which consisted of merycy and tastless ice tea. Then waited again to request coffee. The person taking the money was vaccuming the floor and when I asked for coffee she stated she needed to finish vaccuuming the floor. So waited again!!!!!!!!!!!!. Finally coffee was deliverd. At no time were we offered cream. We finally got that ourselves. This resulted in a 30 minute wait. After we got our meal we were however offered a second cup of coffee, This was mixed with old coffee from a partial pot and served. Thus, the coffee tasted old. No further coffee was offered during the meal.
When we got ready to pay we talked to the waittress who waited on us and the person in charge. We told her of our experience, to which she said “Thank you for the comment”. This resturant is next to the hotel where we stay. We WILL travel further to get better service. We are from the Reno area and go to the black Bear Located on McCarren and get excellent service every time we go in. So we can truely can evaluate this black Bear from others. On the menu a section is dedicted to how the fouder of black bear wish to see customers treated, this would surely be a poor example of the vision set forth by the founding father of Black Bear. We were truly sadened by this experience.
Tony and Sharon Rose