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Without a PSP or iPhone, my childhood entertainment came from watching a scrolling river scene in the clock at the back of the room. That thing was like magic to me. No other restaurant could entertain me like this one. Sawdust on the floor, happy bears painted on the walls, and that awesome clock.
I have had a few items on this menu over the years but really it is just about the beef sandwich on garlic toast with beans and fries. Pour some BBQ sauce into the beans and use it as a dipping cup for the fries.
Good:
Garlic toast beef sandwich, fast service, bottled BBQ sauce to buy for home, kids menu matches the restaurant theme, crushed ice in your drinks, free veggie appetizer bowl, plenty of parking, cool clock
Meh:
Dry ribs, average soda selection, hard seats
Outrage:
Kind of loud inside and out.
You know it aint the best BBQ I've been too but they do give you a good size of meat portions. To be honest I was quite content with this place, great service, large portions, and unlimited garlic bread.
The atmosphere of the place was nice, the prices are decent and the cashier was cute. There was so much food that we were unable to finish. Best part is having leftovers in the morning. I cannot tell ya how good it is to be eating the BBQ Chicken rolled up into garlic bread, almost better than cold pizza.
THE ORDER:
- Super bear ham and pork sandwich on garlic toast w fries
- Order of ribs
YIPPPEEE:
- Little baby white potatoes deep fried with a lite batter. Yummy i luv potatoes.
- (but, BOOOO i asked for these little tatters to be substituted for the fries w my sandwich & they said NO. Not, OK that'll be an extra charge but flat out NO. It's a cheap ass potato, famine food. It's not like i was asking for them to sub out my fries for steak.
BOOO:
- Ribs dry
- NO pulled pork.
How can you call yourself a BBQ place & not have pulled pork, again WTH.
- The meats on my sandwich where glorified lunch meat from the grocery store
- garlic bread boring and bland
SUMMARY:
- I would come here again but only if someone else was paying the bill
One of my earliest and happiest childhood memories involves the Bear Pit. Yes, I can clearly picture in my mind the moving Hamms Beer sign and saw dust on the floors. The only other place I recall with that much sawdust was Chris and Pits, which is no longer in the Valley. In the 1960's, as a young child, I would order a garlic toast BBQ Beef sandwich with beans and fries. I would dip those fries in the beans. I would smother the sandwich with Bear Pit BBQ sauce. Life was good. When I want life to feel good again (albeit not that good), I go to the Bear Pit. Still the best sandwich and BBQ in the San Fernando Valley.
Let's all be honest for a second. We each pretty much eat the same thing as the same restaurant every time, right? Come here at lunch and eat the "Super Bear" which has ham AND sliced BBQ beef inside a garlic toast sandwich. (Garlic toast is extra - make sure you ask for it!) You WILL leave satisfied.
!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES!
Others may disagree but as far as BBQ places in Valley, this is a very good choice. The food is better than merely good with generous portions - served with carrot sticks and pickles before meal comes. The potato balls are good as is the garlic bread. You can SMELL the BBQ as you drive up to the place...even from off the freeway. The atmosphere is "homey" ...and VERY casual....my kids equate it to a hamster cage though because of the wood shavings on floor. This place is always busy which speaks to the quality. They have been there forever. Give it a try. It is a bit pricey though. If you want a more sophisticated atmosphere though - go to Wood Ranch at same price. I am sure there are better BBQ places....but not in North Valley.
They serve complimentary stink-pickles. Pickles that smell horrible but taste good. DO NOT put any pickles in your take-out box. I mean the only way to get that smell out of your car is to take an even bigger dump.
There are no wet naps, so bring a couple hot towels from home.
The split pea soup with ham was great. I could really taste the pea-ness.
For the best table in the house, ask to be seated under "Beaner." Julie Pinball wouldn't steer you wrong, just do it.
Not exactly sure why it has taken me so long to review this place. I grew up here and by that I mean my family has gone here to celebrate most significant events. The smell of the place sparks all kinds of memories. For that reason, I seem to rate this a bit higher then some people might. The "old" style BBQ sauce... yes lest start there. I can't seem to find anything sauce to match this flavor. It is perfect with meat especially the chicken. Their ribs can be dry but flavorful. The chicken has a crispy smokey skin and I love to dip it in the "Old" sauce.
The thing to do here is order the Tasters Treat, which comes with ribs, chicken, roast beef, turkey, beans, coleslaw, little potatoes, and garlic bread. YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS but leave the beef, turkey, coleslaw, as well as some of the bread for sandwiches the next day. TRUST ME ON THIS.
What about the "New" style sauce you ask? Dip the potatoes and bread in it. It is quite a bit sweeter and goes well with the fried oily goodness of those items.
The garlic bread is an other unique creation which i will never see in the same shape, color, or flavor anywhere else. It is delicious. Finally, the potatoes are little mini-taters that are fried to a crispy golden brown. My dad always orders an extra order of them and well... thank god for that. Bring your family here and start a tradition.
Always packed with people that seem to have crawled from underneath the 118 and 405 freeways. When I first went, I thought I was at an art gallery with all of the great caricature paintings on the wall. I've been there a bunch of times, but have only tried the Bear Pit Special, which is awesome. I think this is a better place to people-watch than to dine. Especially the staff, who all look like they could be residents of the village in The Hills Have Eyes. Mmmm Mmmmm
Today was my second visit to the Bear Pit and I must say I wish it was better. The people were very friendly and patient. The atmosphere was great, the kind of place I can see hangin' with the fam. The only problem was the food!?! I had The Kodiac (pork sandwich and 2 pork ribs) with beans and fries. If school lunch had a BBQ day- this would be it. The beans were great and the BBQ sauce was a very good sweet sauce but the meat was really weak. The portions were ginormous but lacking in flavor and the ribs were dry. I would much rather sit down at a Famous Daves.
Side note: Last visit I tried the beef sandwich on the garlic bread and really think that it's a great idea but the garlic bread wasn't to my taste.
A coworker wanted to eat here, i had never heard of this place before. He had bragged about the big, stomach stuffing portion of food, and said the food tasted good. My coworker is now 0 for 2 when it comes to restaurants, he bragged about stonefire grill too, but it wasn't worth the money and neither is the " Bear Pit "
The food is nothing to go out of your way for. The BBQ sauce was the weakest stuff i have ever had to put on my ribs. The ribs were dry and needed plenty of sauce just to give you a reason to keep chewing. I won't lie, i did enjoy the beans and the Cole slaw but that isn't enough to get me to come back
I was trying to decide between Hogly Wogly, Mr Cecil's and Bear Pit because I had not been to any. I think I made a pretty good decision.
Ordered the spare ribs plate and they were above average. Meat was a little fatty and 1-2 of my ribs was over done.....but the others were great. Beans and coleslaw also, both good. BBQ sauce is good and also ask for a few sides of sweet sauce.
Girlfriend ordered the Kodiak - bbq beef sandwich on garlic toast (their specialy) and two spare ribs. needless to say she had a lot to take home. Sandwich was really good i thought.....she thought the garlic toast was too much.
This place has a ton of combos that include a ton of food for only like $12 or $13. If I had to do it over again I would go with what girlfriend got, or get the baby backs.
I would say this is more of a 3.75.
Aww man I was so disappointed I seen all these great reviews. Is the chicken fried?? I dont know but its not bbq. If you love a very sweet bbq sauce you may like it. Had it not been for the potato buds I wouldnt have given them 2 stars, but since they did give me 2 of them LOL. I wont ever go here again. Sorry guys.
I think a lot of people give this place high marks because of the history and fond memories. Yes this place has been around for quite a bit in the valley but honestly the food is ok.
The ribs can sometimes be a bit dry. The sausage and chicken aren't anything special just alright. It does rank better than some chains but honestly that is borderline. What does deserve credit is their garlic bread. The thing is just good and greasy. I do not know if they even use real garlic because it doesn't look like it but it really doesn't matter. The bread is worth the try.
Been going here for years.
They have a sweet and a smokey BBQ sauce that adds to the variety here. I load up the garlic bread with smoked turkey then smother it with the sweet sauce. BBQ beans and a garlic pickle and I'm one happy camper! The potato salad and cole slaw is just ok but I don't come for the sides. The garlic bread is thick and very good and so is the ice tea. The sawdust on the floor means no worries of making a mess!
The price depends on what you order. Some items are a little high but most are a good price for the amount you receive.
When I was in kindergarden, my parents would take me here if I was really good. There's sawdust on the floor. There's moving picture beer ads from the 70s (if not the 60s) & the bears painted in the "antler chandelier" back room have been repainted since the Northridge quake. My little sister & I LOVED IT because we often got to observe bikers there.
The questionable parental judgment aside, I was hooked on the food here early on. The BBQ sauce is sweet & not thick. So, note that when you come in, as the sauce is as much a part of this place as the seasoning salt is to a Bob's burger.
The BBQ is their interpretation of "Missouri Style," which is different from anything I've tasted before. If I ever get BBQ in Missouri, I'll change this review to compare. In any case, don't expect this to taste like Wood Ranch BBQ. It's different. It's good. But, it's different. There's a distinct lack of honey notes in the food, though I logically know there should be some honey involved (maybe there isn't?).
The pickles that they serve you when you get in are often spicy.
The baked beans are sweet & delicious.
The deep fries are wholly addicting.
The hot link plate makes me cry from both spice and undying love.
The chili size *drool*
The portions insanely large. Box it up, lest you die from overeating.
Sawdust restaurant
sweet sauce, meat eaten with joy
savoured with iced tea
This place is great..Good Bbq, Good Prices, Good people..
Ive been here a few times and each time i was not let down. Also the veggies on ice are really good for some reason, really fresh.
Not The Best BBQ I have ever had but my favorite in the valley easily. I dont like getting anything here but the Kodiak Its a great deal and anything on the garlic toast is amazing. I prefer the the pork but the beef is just as good. The sandwiches are the best by far though. And I just saw someone else with the review of the bear that says beaner on it but it actually says beanie I asked but it was funny off the bat
After a long evening doctor's appointment (he was 2+ hours late), my landlord decided he wanted to stop and get some dinner on the way home. He had a hankering for BBQ and recalled Bear Pit being on Sepulveda near the 118, so off we went.
As we pulled in, I could tell by the looks of the building and sign that the place had been here for decades. The parking lot was fairly full, which is a sign of good eatin'!
We went in and sure enough the place was a good 2/3 full, and this was after 8 PM! We were quickly seated at a table in the back. The place has old time ambiance from the paintings on the walls to the saw dust on the floors. Even the menus looked like they haven't changed in years.
My landlord and I both ordered the chicken and ribs combo which came with your choice of cole slaw, soup or salad along with baked beans, fried taters and garlic toast. The waitress returned with our drinks, cole slaw and a bowl of pickle spears, celery and carrots. The veggies were a nice snack and the cole slaw was some of the best I've ever had. It was topped with a beet and had a great flavor which had a hint of apple in it as well. I could've dined on just the slaw!
Our entree arrived a short time later and we both were amazed at the amount of food on our plates. Neither one of us are small guys and I hadn't eaten all day. But just looking at my plate, I knew I wasn't going to finish it all.
We chose the dark meat chicken and received a leg and a back. The ribs were huge and meaty, served with 2 different BBQ sauces on the side. Both the chicken and ribs were tender and juicy with the meat practically jumping off the bones. Fantastic flavor in all. The beans had a great smokey flavor and were nicely cooked. However, I prefer my BBQ beans to be a little thicker but certainly no complaint here!
Some people say that this place is given high marks because of its history and people's memories growing up. Well, this was the first time I've been here and I gave it 4 stars because of excellent food and ambiance. I would've given it 5 stars, but I found most of the staff to be rather distant and robotic. Had they had a little more personality, it would've easily been a 5-star night! But I certainly will be back!
Make sure you ask for their SWEET SAUCE! The one on the table is okay, but their REAL BBQ sweet sauce is like crack!
If it's your first time there order a Kodiak or a Bbq Sandwich and MAKE SURE you get it with GARLIC TOAST! Follow these rules and you'll fall in love.
After you order that you can go and start trying out whatever youd like there, but thats basically the only thing we get when we're there. Ill admit everything else is just okay though. Shout out to our waitress Angela who's been taking care of me and my friends every time we visit!
I've been going to this place for years. I live on the "Bear Pit Special" and "The Kodiak"! Really good BBQ. I wouldn't say that it is the best BBQ out there, but it is definitely one of my favorites. The sandwiches are always good and filled with a ton of meat. The BBQ sauce is what this place is all about. I love the BBQ sauce. I usually pour that sauce over the whole sandwich... that or eat the sandwich in one hand and have the bottle of sauce in the other. yeah, i like it that much. I was really excited to find out that they serve lamb as one of the meat options for the sandwich. i do like lamb.
The ribs i find are pretty hit or miss... never had a bad sandwich. make sure to get it on garlic toast. That is the only way. The sides are good. nothing super special to yelp about, but good. They start you out with some chilled peppers, carrots, pickles, and celery. I'll admit it. i like the pickles, even though they aren't usually crisp. whatev, ill take it.
Overall i really like the Bear Pit. Just some good BBQ with a killer sandwich... and some BBQ sauce that is to die for!
Nothing to write home about food
As I was walking up to the door we saw a group of people with toothpicks in their mouth...(Now I know why)
For two people, ordered the tasters plate (sampler platter)
2 pork ribs, 1 beef ribs, half chicken, sliced pork, sliced beef and sides (beans and salad) A whole lot of Extra DRY meats and the chicken seemed fried whole with no batter, kinda like a deep fried turkey.
Friendly, personable and attentive service.
You do not feel rushed or pressured to pay and leave.
Good Price
We ordered the tasters platter for alittle under 20.00 for alot of meat.
and $5.00 for two hot links with BBQ beans. Price is not bad for the amount of food but again quality suffered in my opinion.
Accessibility
Huge parking lot
You can find pics of food ordered in the photo sections.
MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm!!!!!! Bear Pit. Been coming here since I was knee high to a grasshopper. My dad was stationed at the fire house near here, so mom would take us to visit and then we would head over to pick up some Bear Pit.
Nothing has changed, still great BBQ. My all time favorite is the BBQ pork sandwich on garlic cheese bread, great beans too. I always ask for a side of the sweet sauce. Love this place. BBQ turkey and beef are great too.
Waitresses are cool, salt of the earth types like in Mel's diner, nice relaxed ambiance, great place for a family Sunday dinner.
A real valley institution, and if you read their website you will find that Tennessee Ernie Ford used to be their spokes person, you can't get much cooler than that, unless it was Buck Owens or something!
Funky old independent BBQ place with sawdust on the floors, open beam ceiling and huge cartoon paintings of bears enjoying BBQ on the walls. I enjoy the BBQ beef sanwich on garlic bread. They bring out an iced metal plate of raw vegatables as an appetizer instead of the usual bread. Two different sauces available. West side of the street just north of the 118 freeway.
My brother and I went to The Bear Pit one day for lunch. I ordered a Coke and he ordered a Dr. Pepper. When the waitress dropped our drinks off at our table, she couldn't remember which soda was which, so she just smelled both of them to figure it out before handing them to us.
Five stars!
Their ribs are blah. Looks like I need to come back and try the garlic bread/toast.
Everyone my age remembers the commercials for this place. It would always be on during afternoon cartoons. Remember they always promoted the hot links? Man I recall I really wanted to go there when I was young! Well, 10+ years later, I finally made it.
Upon waling in, I noticed sawdust on the floor. Anyone know the story on that? I saw the same thing at the Pizza Cookery. Anywho, the decor fits the theme of a BBQ shack. Lots of rough looking wood and lamps you'd only find in a old log cabin. Another thing I noticed is the certificates on the wall from law enforcement agencies. They must be treated well over there. I even saw a few cops during my visit. I guess it could said that this is a warning. DO NOT COME HIGH TO THE BEAR PIT! You might leave the restaurant with more than just ribs in your stomach. lol
Speaking of ribs, that is what I ordered. I had a half rack of the beef ribs. It was pretty good. They definitely had a lot of meat on 'em. I was actually full after the first rib. Must be the loads of garlic bread, beans, and potatoes that it came with. The coleslaw wasn't my cup of tea (...or um my cup of coleslaw...). And the hot links I remembered seeing as a kid were very good. Had a bit of back heat which was great. I thought it was better than the ribs. Overall, I thought that the BBQ beans were the tastiest.
Prices are what you'd expect at a BBQ joint. I came out with $17 (including tip) with my rib plate. But expect to spend a little more than that.
Service was pretty good. The lady we had was in high spirits and was quick to refill anything that we were lacking, including our garlic bread. Nothing to complain about in this category.
I'm usually never in this area. But I guess I would be back if I'm jonesing for some tasty hot links!
This is a restaurant! They give you crazy portions. The food is not gourmet in any sense but they give you so much of it you do not care. You could not prepare a less expensive meal at home and then to have put forth the effort. Just come here.
You get pickles, awesome garlic breads, beans, tater tots and then you have the ribs or whatever bbq meat you desire. For what you get the prices are so reasonable and there will be food to take home.
It was not to good of a expierience, iv been ther twice was not to satisfied with ther ribs seemed to dried up... expect better. The service was good, and like ther BBQ sauce. Would probably try it the last time again.
Not being a professional food critic, I can't exactly say I go into certain establishments with an intent to put a review on them. So as it is, sometimes I happen to go into places with a hunger like no other.
Such is the case with Bear Pit. I was starving.
Maybe I gave it 1 more star than it deserved because I was so hungry, but hey, it satisfied my tummy and for that, Bear Pit, you can keep your 1 extra star.
I'm just gonna skip the part where they give you pickles and veggies. I'd rather have bread. Oh well, Bear Pit gets a pass here. I've been told that they have been doing this forever.
I got the BBQ beef sandwich on garlic toast. I enjoyed it. The bread was especially delicious. The meat did the job, not dry and not too moist where I'd think it was undercooked. An underrated part of the meal was the french fries. Maybe that's just me, but I appreciate a good tasting french fry.
Halfway through my sangwich, I decided to try the bottled BBQ sauce sitting with the other condiments. I drizzled some on my sandwich and dug in. I wasn't digging the sauce. It just tasted bland to me. Not that I'm looking for a strong tasting bbq sauce, but I was looking for it to add SOMETHING to the sandwich. The sauce wasn't horrible, but it just didn't do much for me. I also got Hot Links. Those were very good. I enjoyed those. Very tasty.
The service was pretty good, filled our drinks in a timely manner, and were also very friendly. One of my friends got a kiss on his cheek for his birthday. Teehee.
A good bbq place is hard to find. Bear Pit, being relatively close, does the job for me. You'd be hard pressed to find a way better place. Maybe a little bit better, but not more. Cheap-ish, good portions and filling.
I like this place. it feels like taking a ride to the middle of the country. The food is OK. The BBQ sauce is really sweet which I happen to like. It's tacky and kitschy and everyone in there weighs way too much. The garlic bread is insane. If you are a BBQ fan, like me, you have to try it at least once.
If you like cardboard, you'll love it here. Dry meat with sauce. I've tried this place three time. All three time, it really sucked.
I have never sat here before for, so I cannot talk about the wait staff. But it is always a wait to get your food even if you order an hour in advance.
Seems to me the place is more hype than substance.
Chicken always seems under cooked to me and the bbq sauce for my liking is too sweet.
awesome sandwiches. nice dry rub on the ribs. no a/c which is not fun in the summer while you're trying to get through a half slab, but the best in the winter for some down home cookin and you want to hang out in your old levis.
I can't think about the Bear Pit without thinking of my undergrad college years living in a broom closet looking dorm and dating the craziest korean girl in the San Fernando Valley.
The Bear Pit dining area is hardly feng shui and it looks like a sick tree threw up inside of a toddler's room from the 1970s. Their attempt at authenticity by putting saw dust all over the place is admirable, but it doesn't match the rest of the decor. The rest of the place looks more Mr. Rodgers than Marlboro man. Thankfully they aren't in the business of Interior Design.
The Bear Pit makes a sick sandwich. The buttered garlic bread toast is an indelible compliment to the tender sliced meat piled in between. The first time I ate there was pretty sensual, like I almost jizzed myself because the sandwich was so good. The sweet sticky sauce dripping from my fingertips into my tight wet mouth just added to the erotic dining experience. I nibbled softly at the shaft of the long hard beef rib, going up and down and savoring each mouthful until i could no longer hold back the torrent of pleasure.
that day i learned my mouth was useful for more than 1 thing...
Hahaha, oh man. Bear pit. Where to start.
Well i come here all of the time with friends, because they all LOVE it, i on the other hand, just think it's alright. i would give it 3 stars, but i'm throwing in the extra because if my friends were here they would all be yelling at me.
Anyway, the food is always pretty tasty. I must say i prefer the new bbq sauce over the original, but that's just me. I always get the bbq pork on the garlic toast, and it is pretty delicious. But only when it's smothered in bbq sauce. Although the garlic toast is pretty bomb. It's fairly simple food. A pretty hick-ish white trash place though hahaah. But it makes me laugh and just enjoy it even more, kind of. If you have high standards for the atmosphere of a restaurant i defffffffffinitely do not suggest bear pit.
But it is pretty tasty and cheap.
Buy some bbq sauce to go.
bear pit is peRAWRfect for hungry bear suey!
The Bear Pit defines no-frills. They haven't renovated the place probably since it opened. There is sawdust on the floor, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer clocks on the wall and wine on tap dispensed from the cheesiest looking fake barrel display near the entrance. This is the one restaurant that I would never be embarrassed to go into no matter how bad I looked. The focus here is on food.
I see some of the mixed reviews here and am not surprised. I have tried many items on the menu, including their ribs, hot links and chicken. The ribs especially are hit and miss. What the Bear Pit is known for is their sliced meats and sandwiches, especially on garlic toast.
I normally get the beef or pork with sweet sauce on garlic toast. I then add in old fashioned sauce which is smoky and not sweet. It is a good mix. Their beans are just OK. Their fries and their "bear nugget" potato balls are good. Stick to the sandwiches and you will love this place.
They do a booming business even during the weekdays. I pick up takeout on my way home from work, it can be up to a 40 minute wait on takeout when they are busy. I like to dine in and soak in the local color. It is only a 10-15 minute drive from Santa Clarita so it is convenient.
I tried the brisket and the sausage, both were tough and had little taste. So, we tried going back a second time, thinking maybe we just ordered the wrong thing? nope..the only thing I liked were the beans. Maybe growing up on Texas BBQ has me spoiled, but you can do way better than this even in the valley.
You know, I think this is a pretty good spot. I love me some meat, but I'd like a little more variety in the extra fixin's (I know...what's to expect at a BBQ place?).
It's real good eats if you're in the area and want some good bbq. I especially dig their garlic toast, although I'm sure they used at least a stick of butter to grill it.
Van Nuys, CA
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: North Hollywood
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Van Nuys
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Northridge
Category: Barbeque
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Category: Barbeque
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