Review and story: The Real Original Black Bear Diner in Mount Shasta CA.

Two years ago, I was celebrating my last weekend with my now Fiancée before she left on her 18-month mission. After going to the temple together she asked me where I wanted to eat breakfast. I told her that I had overheard my brother and his friend talking about how amazing the Black Bear Diner in Orem was. His friend said that the original was the best and that they decided to go to the Orem Utah location and it was terrific.

I told her that I think it would be fun to drive from Salt Lake to Orem to go to the ‘Original Black Bear Diner’ and have breakfast there. She told me that she had heard of Black Bear Diner, but was pretty sure that it opened in California (she is from Redding), but I insisted that my brother’s friend said that the Orem location was the best; so we decided to go to the ‘Original Black Bear Diner’ in Orem… Much to my dismay and her happiness, we found out that that the Orem Black Bear dinner was not actually the original, but rather the location in Mount Shasta in California. The Orem location’s food was great, but I promised her that one day I would visit Redding and take her to Mount Shasta to go to the real ‘Original Black Bear Diner.’

Over the next 18 months, she would tease me about the ‘Original Black Bear Diner’ being in Orem. Well, this past month her 18-month mission concluded, and I had the chance to visit her family in Redding California. We decided we would take the trip up to Mount Shasta so that I could take her and her little sister to dinner at the “Real Original Black Bear Diner.” And let me say, the ‘Original Black Bear Diner’ did not disappoint!

I ordered their New York Steak, that came with a salad, baked potato, onion rings, and grilled peppers, my Fiancée ordered the Salmon with mashed potatoes and veggies, and her little sister ordered Loaded Mac-N-Cheese. The waiter was super friendly and the atmosphere felt like taking a step back in time to when things were simpler.

When the food came out, it was amazing! The steak was perfectly cooked, the Salmon was tender, and the Mac-N-Cheese had so much bacon that her little sister allowed me to steal the extra for my baked potato to make it a loaded baked potato. And on top of the food tasting amazing and the portions so generous that there was enough left over that we all had lunches for the next day!

Overall, 5/5 stars for the Real ‘Original Black Bear Diner’ in Mount Shasta, California.