Black Bear Evansdale

Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

3119 University Ave.
Morgantown, West Virginia, 26505-5418
United States

(304) 777-4867 | map
blackbearburritos.com

Large, family centered establishment. Good selection of high quality beers.
PLACE STATS
Average:
4
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
28
pDev:
15.5%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by williamjbauer:
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Rated by williamjbauer from Colorado

4/5  rDev 0%

Oct 31, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.68 by Rubezahl from Pennsylvania

Jun 30, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by qcbrewer from North Carolina

Jun 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.69 by GeoffreyM from Pennsylvania

Aug 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by AMCimpi from New York

Jun 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by misternebbie from Pennsylvania

Jan 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by emeyer from West Virginia

Jul 29, 2014
 
Rated: 1.25 by Roh_H from Texas

Jul 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by miffsudd from Michigan

Jul 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by themanilow from West Virginia

Oct 14, 2013
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Reviewed by FreshButterbeer from Iowa

4.41/5  rDev +10.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 5
Overall, my favorite place in Morgantown. They've got a pretty decent selection of craft beer for Morgantown. They just installed 20 beer taps, so now have a few Sierra Nevada, Samuel Adams, Southern Tier and Rogue beers on tap, along with a huge amount of beer that's brewed within the state. The amount of beers brewed within WV (many of which within Morgantown) is what really improved their selection, it's what makes the place so special. Along with that, the food is incredible. The burritos off of the "special guests" menu are my favorites. I'd definitely suggest this place to any beer geeks traveling to Morgantown.
Jul 29, 2013
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Reviewed by Jackal from West Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4.75
First of all, before getting to the beer selection, the food at Black Bear is amazing. There are several options for individuals looking for vegetarian/vegan entrees, made with local ingredients. The beer selection here is great, easily an establishment with more variety than one would see in other restaurants in the area. They recently upgraded their offerings, including taps for over a dozen beers. The selection of bottles is pretty wide as well. Live entertainment here does wonders for the atmosphere as well, and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about the products they sell.
Jul 26, 2013
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Reviewed by John_M from Washington

3.3/5  rDev -17.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Given some of the previous reviews, this was a place I was looking forward to visiting in Morgantown. Maybe my expectations were just too high, but my visit this evening was a major disappointment.

BB is a fairly sizeable beer bar/restaurant, something that surprised me from the look of the place outside. Inside, it's kind of oddly decorated (the green paint just seems out of place), and the old, rickety, tables and chairs give the place something of a cafeteria look. That look is only reinforced by the lack of table service (you have to go up front to the cash register to order, unless you're sitting at the bar - as I was). The place has an informal, low key vibe otherwise, which is something I always appreciate. As for the beer selection.... sigh. It's really not all that great. Today they had a couple of beers from North End brewing on tap, including the 5 way ipa. I tried a sample of the 5 way, and as it pretty much sucked (the bartender indicated it was way too hoppy for him - I found it to be one of the maltier, sweeter, least hoppy IPA's I've ever sampled), I opted for the always reliable dead guy. Otherwise, there were a total of 4 beers on tap (SNPA and the APA from North End), then a cold box of 30 or 40 bottle selections. Variety is really not all that great here... they had a large selection of Rogue bombers (I asked the bartender about the Rogue XS imperial/DIPA, and he had never heard of it), and then some beers from Flying Dog, Sierra Nevada, harpoon and a couple of others (they had just gotten in the Nosferatu, which was the only Great Lakes beer they had on hand).

The service was friendly but clueless, although at least I didn't have to wait long for anything. The special of the day was a seafood stew, and based on the description, I ordered a bowl of it. Supposedly, the dish has a variety of veggies, some blue crab, tilapia and tuna, but I tasted almost none of that. It actually reminded me of an underspiced, lackluster bowl of gumbo (with rice on the bottom). It was still fairly tasty, but if I ever come here again, I'll stick with the burritos, which seem to be where this place shines.

OK. There are some good things about this place, but they really don't make this a BA destination. The young folks working here know next to nothing about craft beer, but on the other hand, everyone was very friendly, and drink and food orders come quickly. Also, prices here are reasonable, bordering on cheap. My pint of dead guy and bowl of stew cost me a paltry $8.75 (75 cents off for happy hour on the dead guy), and I know when I was a college student, that kind of gentle pricing would have made this a major draw for me. So it seems to me that's probably what they're going for here, and there's nothing at all wrong with that kind of business model. However, it's just not what I'm looking for any more (my college days are long behind me), and I'm not really sure I can see any reason to return any time soon.
Sep 26, 2012
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Reviewed by jschonert from Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
One of the better places to go in town to get some good food with a good beer. They usually have quite a few things on tap, again, nothing impressive by Pittsburgh or DC standard, but they usually have a few Rogues, a Flying Dog, and a Great Lakes. You go there for the burritos though. Its got a fun atmosphere and seems to be the place for the local kayakers/rockclimbers to eat.

Jay's Getaway is close to the restaurant as well. Ideally, you could grab a bite to eat with a beer at Black Bear and then head over the Jay's afterwards. For a good night out of food and beer with friends, I'd either pick this place or Gibbies.
Sep 20, 2011
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Reviewed by aeibrean from Florida

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Was very very impressed, good service, great food, great beer. It's West Virginia which by definition underwhelms, yet this place was OUTSTANDING. Very VERY hip. Good tunes playing, very friendly folks. The service was as good as any I have ever had. The food was excellent and very reasonably priced. Good portions and served nicely and quickly too. IO spoke with a few folks in the bar and they were warm & welcoming. They made suggestions of other spots I might enjoy while in Morgantown.
I highly recommend this place.
Dec 08, 2010
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Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Visited this place tonight for dinner and a few beers while visiting the area on business. (Thanks to BeerFly.)

Beer selections include: 20 different bottles of Rogue, Newcastle, Sierra Celebration, Torpedo, and Keelerwiesse; Magic Hat #9, Circus Boy, and Roxy Rolles; Wild Goos IPA, Bass, Yuengling Black & Tan and Porter, Michelob Ultra (??? *cough*), Guiness, Sam Adams Noble Pils, Long Hammer IPA, Stella, Corona, Double Dead Guy. Taps: Black Bear Oatmeal Stout, Jomo Lager & Amber, The Love Wheat Beer, Rodey's Red (local WV brew).

Had a Turkey Reuban wrap and it was very good, something different for a change. The atmosphere was good, reminds me of a granola/artsy type of place - really cool. I can see where this would be a favorite with the student population. The previous reviewer gave a great detailed description of the establishment.

The only downfall of The Black Bear is they are WAY top heavy on Rogue beers, like 20+ selections...that's "a little" over the top in my opinion, it's like the WV chapter of the Rogue fan club. Rogue does have some good brews but outside of a microbrewery, I've never seen this lopsided of a brand selection. I would love to see them drop a bunch of the Rogues, keep a few, and diversify on the selection. If they did, I'd give them a higher score.
Feb 03, 2010
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Reviewed by slander from New York

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Morgantown is still reeking of (evil) Davo, but the hankering I've got for a burrito supersedes all so I guess I'll be driving out this evening. I know I need to go sooner than later as Black Bear closed early last time I was out, or rather I stayed at the now defunct brewpub just up the street late and they closed up at their normal time. Morgantown is Davotown; I'll be throwing around his name, sure, maybe it'll get me extra chips...

Deep and wide, 2 storefronts made 1; plants & potted treeage in the front windows to both sides of the entranceway. Small perch slight step up in the front corner where some guy is playing acoustic (he's pretty good), and a dozen and a half booths & tables out over the floor, some with homey wood benches.

"J" shaped dark wood bar with mosaic tile border trim to the rear seating 9 on the stretch and loses functionality as a bar to coolers, service, and food ordering on the hook. Plank wood barback wall with a framed blackboard listing beverages (beer, wine, drinks) and prices over a kitchen cut through below. A glass front cooler holding bottled selections sits just to the left alongside slight shelved booze. A smaller board around the other side of the bar lists local usages (tofu, beer, etc), and a single TV sits mounted above the rear corner. I put up at one of the 5 raised slat wood bowling lane tables adjacent to the bar.

Beige painted walls over green lowers, trim & columns. Exposed ducts, some track spots, and colored glass mismatched lamps on spinning fans over the bar and up front some. LP art (okay kids, see, there used to be, well, there still are but you don't really see them too often, these things called "records") on the far wall towards the front, a desecration to vinyl if ever there was one. It's totally going to do a number on your stylus, all right. Down past there along that same wall, a bar counter with the same mosaic tile border and a little case with shwag, shirts & glasses. Light brewery signage, some local artwork, a cool framed Dylan at WVU piece, and a Deckers Creek Watershed print.

4 beers on tap; 2 towers of 2 each on the bar, an even split of in-staters (Black Bear Oatmeal Stout, their house beer from Mountain State Brewing in Thomas, WV, and the Roedy's Red, from North End Brewery in Parkersburg, WV), and other coastals (Rogue Dead Guy and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). I had a pint of the Black Bear Oatmeal Stout. It was tasty, better than I recall it being at the brewpub, roasty just now, with something licorice going on. And then a pint of the Roedy's Red, a pleasant malt bomb like I like a red (although Davo claims the Red made his small strange stomach ache, boo hoo). Pints are $3.50 except the Dead Guy which runs a quarter more.

I can see from here displayed on the top 2 shelves of the cooler, a whole bunch of Rogue bombers (a dozen and a half of 'em in all), plus a dozen other craft beer options below (Magic Hat, Starr Hill, Sam Adams, Wild Goose, Sierra Nevada), and a number of macros & crap imports I couldn't be bothered to count or list.

Made my own burrito (really someone else did, I just would have fucked it up). The wrap Wheat, black my choice of bean, chicken, maybe some broccoli. It showed up (like) instantly, not too big, not too small, just enough. Covered with a fresh chunky tomatoey mild salsa of 'sure works for me' and served with corn chips and some tangy slaw. I 'et it. It was gooood.

The place had a pretty good crowd, mostly of the college kid variety. It being a few weeks off school season proper, I'm sure it was lighter than usual. Burrito was perfect and worthy of the 66 mile drive to have at it, and beerwise, I enjoyed the pair of WV brewery selections, but could've gone bottled (Sierra Keller Weisse or a Rogue something or other) if I'd had to. Very well may be as good as it gets in Motown.
Nov 01, 2009
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Reviewed by unbalancedbuds from New Jersey

4.83/5  rDev +20.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
hands down favorite place in morgantown. black bear opened up in my last year as a student at wvu. from my first time there i thoroughly enjoyed this place. thru out my time there i'd visit periodically for the nachoman and some good beers. this place is a great addition to morgantown.
idiotically i left morgantown in the summer of '03. but in the winter of '07 i returned to black bear, on my return route coming back from a cross country trip. while there i had to get the nacho man and the beer selection very impressive. love this place, from its rustic/crunchy atmosphere, the beer and especially the food. always a curious and friendly staff.
definitely gonna try and visit black bear this summer, if i go on a hiking trip to dolysods.
Apr 05, 2009
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Reviewed by beermanWV from West Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +8.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I have had many good times at Black Bear. The atmosphere is very relaxed. It does have a small town college feel to it, but there are many other people that go here besides college students. There is live music almost daily in the evening. The music is usually Appalachian music, and usually quite good and varied.

Servers are friendly and hippie-esque. I have never had a problem with the service. You order at the counter, and take a child's toy to your table to identify your table.

Beer selection is good, especially for WV. Many different Rogue 22s, Saranac, Sierra Nevada, Great Lakes, PBR, and some others. A few taps, including Mountain State's oatmeal stout which is labeled as Black Bear Oatmeal Stout- good local oatmeal stout.

The owners use all natural ingredients, and use local products. Some of the local products are advertised at the counter. The food mainly consists of burritos, salads, and quisadillas. Most of the burritos come with a little bit of unique homemade slaw. Portions are quite generous. If you like chips and cheese dip, try the roasted red pepper cheese dip if its available.

Prices are reasonable for what you get. You won't go broke at Black Bear.

One of my favorite spots in Morgantown. This is a great place to grab something to eat and a beer in a relaxed atmosphere. I usually try to stop by when I am back in Morgantown.
Mar 02, 2009
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Reviewed by SurlyDuff from Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +9.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Okay, so I worked here while i was in college, but i'll try to be objective. Furthermore, I never reviewed the Bear while I was working there, that was over 2 years ago.

The beer selection is good. 6 taps of good micros including 2 rogues, their own contracted Black Bear Oatmeal Stout, and usually a Sierra Nevada PA, Sam Adams, etc.

In bottles, pretty much anything they can get that abides by WV's draconian beer abv laws. This includes dozens of Rogues, Saranac, Sierra Nevadas, Wild Goose, etc.

Atmosphere is open and clean, with am artsy hippie vibe. A good bluegrass/reggae/folk soundtrack and really friendly people. Family friendly in every respect, though after 8pm or so it's the older drinking crowd. Live music most nights of the week.

Food is delicious, organic, and there are always specials. They have a ton of vegetarian and vegan options, and even a seperate grill in the kitchen for vegetarian cooking.

Prices are great. Pints of Rogue for 3.50, and meals are reasonable too. Great for the broke college student, the family, or anyone else who happens to drive through town.
May 18, 2008
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Reviewed by wvukb from West Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +12.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
This is probably my favorite place in Morgantown. Great appalachian feel, live music and unique food - salads, burritos and organic offerings. But, what makes Black Bear is the selection of beer. Not great by some folks standards, but excellent for WV due to the 6% law. The have more than a dozen different Rogue 22 oz'ers - Y's Special Bitter, Juniper Pale Ale, Chocolate Stout, Shakespeare Stout, Chipotle Ale, American Amber and Mocha Porter to name a few. They also have a variety of Wild Goose, Sierra Nevada, Saranac and Sammy seasonals as well. On top of that, Rogue Dead Guy and Black Bear Stout (a microbrew made by Mountain State Brewing Company for Black Bear) on tap. So... the next time you want to enjoy a beer and some applachian music while eating a tasty burrito, head over to Black Bear.
Feb 07, 2008
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Reviewed by dmamiano from West Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 2 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Very unimpressive atmosphere as a first impression...kinda of stark looking with a bar placed in the back of the restaurant.
Service was good, although servers were not over friendly.
Not a place one would go to just drink....set up more for the drink while you dine kind of thing.
Had at approximatey 15 different kinds of Rogue for sale in bombers . Had maybe four draft selections, and had appoximately 30 + different kind of beer in bottles. Mostly macros or macros hidden under the veil of a micro label.
Decent place to have a beer or two.
Nov 28, 2007
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Reviewed by ZimZamZoom from West Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Nice place to hang out and have a burrito and a few beers. Impressive list of bottled Rogue beers, and some other thrown in for good measure. They do have Dead Guy on tap as well. The Black Bear Stout (Mountain State) was fresh and excellent on this day.

Interesting atmosphere, probably great for all the college kids. We actually didn't eat just popped in for a beer. The food looked real good and it was tempting.

I'd go back for sure at a time when I knew it would not be busy. It was dead on the Friday afternoon we went in, and I would prefer it that way, we got to sit at the bar and enjoy the beers.
Nov 17, 2007
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Reviewed by JamesS from Indiana

4.08/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Black Bear Burritos is a great place! The staff is attentive for the most part, and quite attractive. The only problem is that they can get so busy, they don't have a lot of time for every patron. They typically only have a two or three front-of-the-house workers, who take the orders and deliver them, but they are not a sit-down restaurant type of server, so don't expect that.

The food is wonderful. It's a burrito/wrap menu, but there's something on there for just about everyone, including kids. They have several wonderful selections. If you don't like what you see, you can build your own burrito or nachos with a wide variety of ingrediants.

Beer selection is pretty good, one of the best in Mtown. They have a nice variety of local (state) and national beers. They don't have a lot of draught, but they do serve Rogue Dead Guy and Mountain State's stout (although it's labeled under the Black Bear name instead of the Coal Miner's Daughter appelation).

They do have local musicians several times a week, usually a single or duo. It's quite kid friendly, too. Local artists also show their talent here, and you can purchase art to take home, too, if that's your thing.

I gave it a $$ rating, because it's not quite a $$$. More like a $$ 1/2.
Sep 28, 2007
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Reviewed by rabsten from West Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Black Bear is a hippie hangout with really good food and beer. The hippie-ness of it can kinda get in the way, sometimes, but it really is anice addition to Morgantown.

It's in a former retail space and kind of has a 1950's feel, with 1990's Slacker Bohemian-ness over it. You can see the bones of the building's former occupant under the art-school murals and stuff, but it's well lit without being over bright, and the seats are decenlty comfortable. The TV's don't dominate the place and it's quiet enought to have an actual conversation.

Service is decent. They give you a toy to identify your table, which looses it's kitsch value after one or two visits. The counter-staff do a pretty good job of keeping you refilled, but can get a bit surly when you ask them specifics about a beer (i.e. how's the Hazlenut vs. the Dead Guy?). Also, if you ask for advice, you'll tend to get a lot of "it's pretty good." Which tells you nothing.

Selection is about as good as you'll get in the Mountain State. Last vist there were two Rouges on tap (see above) SNPA, and a local product, Miner's Daughter Oatmeal Stout, from Mountian State Brewing. In bottles, all Rogue, Great Lakes, Seirra Nevadas and Samuel Smith's that our six-percent ceiling allows.Tupper's Hop Pocket was there too, as was PBR bottles. All in all, as good as it gets here.

Food is Burritio based cuisine, but good stuff. Make you own or go with one of their recipies. The chips are good, the homemade salsa better. Don't beafraid to try a burritio that's largely based on mashed potatoes: it's really good.

Valueis the weak link. $$$. $8 for a burrito. $4 for a pint is standard. and pitchers are priced at 4x the pint price; not even a quarter's differecnce. An eveing of good beer and good food could knock you on your butt.

bottom line: Good beer, good food, but you'll pay for it. But if you really need a Shakespeare Stout, this is the place in Mo-town.
Jun 04, 2006
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Reviewed by cupbeerman from Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Black Bear is a great place that does what it can with the beers they can get. With West Virginia’s cap and label fees, however, this only leaves a couple of choices.

The atmosphere of this bar is of a mountain hippie bar. The bar itself has about a dozen stools and there are tables all around the place. The place includes bear paw prints on the floor leading to the counter. The place is decorated with hippie type paintings all around. I must say it has a very unique atmosphere, which is a good thing.

The Selection includes almost every beer in the area (they did not have Great Lakes when I was there) in bottles such as Sam Adams Lager and Seasonal, Wild Goose's line, Sierra Nevada Pale, Porter and Stout, two Saranacs, about 8 varies of Rogue and a hand full of Samuel Smiths. The have six drafts as well: Dead Guy, another Rogue, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Newcastle Brown, Sam Adams' Lager and Seasonal. The beers that I had were fresh and seemed to be kept in great shape.

Black Bear is worth stopping in if ever in the Morgantown area; definetly a great place to go and have a beer. The prices are great ($3.50 for a Dead Guy). The service was fine; the bartender was friendly.

EDIT: They now have Mt. State Brewing Company on draft now.
Oct 12, 2004
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Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +9.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
What is Black Bear? To me and my friends it's the coolest place to hangout grab a bite to eat, listent to some chill music, and sip on some fine brews. Very homey atmosphere started by two friends this is by far a complete grassroots effort, unique build your own burrito menu is the food with some other pseudo but very tasty mexican style food. Vegetables used are homegrown by local farmers. Now for the beer this place boasts a small but quality draft selection Rogue Dead Guy and Shakespeare stout, Sierra Nevada Pale, Sam Adams brews, Great Lakes, New Castle to round out the taps. Bottles they carry Wildgoose, Great Lakes, Sam Smith's, Rogue, Saranac and anyother craft brews they can get their hands on. Atmosphere is somewhat hippified but in a good way music ranges from blues, folk, bluegrass, and reggae influenced tunes. Nice big high ceilings so the smoke doesn't get to you when your enjoying what I considering some of the best burritos I've ever had. All in all your sure to have a great time here bar seating area is ample and the tables are spread throughout the room enough seating, but most times I've been here I have had to wait for a table. You order and pay upfront then they give you a children's toy to bring to your table to know where to bring the food out. Awesome place a must when your in Morgantown.
Aug 09, 2004
Black Bear Evansdale in Morgantown, WV
Place rating: 4 out of 5 with 28 ratings