Max’s Black Bear BBQ

The ribs! Get them and go hide to eat them, or else everybody is going to mooch some from you.
They ran out of them for lunch and I’m glad we waited till dinner to go back. The beans were meaty and full of veggies, the slaw was simple and good. I thought the prices were high until I tasted what I was paying for and it was worth every penny!

Finally stopped at this barbie place and glad I did. The owner is super nice, and the pulled pork sandwich was equally great! The cole slaw was fresh and tasty too. I will for sure stop by again on my home from kayaking. I could see Guy Fieri doing a segment of this place of one of the on the road shows on Food Network. Guy would totally get into this place!

I had been passing this restaurant for the past two years and never got the chance to pull over and stop to try the food. I recently had the chance to stop by at this family run establishment but unfortunately the food flavor failed to impress.
I was able to try a few things on their menu. I tried their brisket unfortunately was a little dry and the rub that was applied was very salty and muddled by too many other spices. I next tried the ribs which also were robbed of flavor because of the dry rub they were using. Both the brisket and ribs were cooked to perfect temperature. I next ventured by trying their hot link, this was pleasantly tastefully put together the flavor of the hot link was just as you imagine it. Then tried their side dishes of beans and cornbread, the beans again too salty and the corn bread very dry. I tried to liven things up with the sauces they provided and it was if they drained the water from the beans and added it to the dry rub they put on their meat, and that is where my meal ended. Unfortunately, I will go back to driving by this restaurant

My family picked up dinner from this local BBQ place last week and boy was it tasty! They offered great customer service to my step dad which made us like them even more! My favorite was the brisket and I really liked the bbq sauce. I currently live out of state but if we were ever to be stationed at Beale we would definitely be frequent customers of Max’s, can’t wait to eat here again!

This place is great! I drove past this place dozens of times wanting to stop in and try the food. I can’t believe I waited this long to try it! Just walking up to the store the smell of bbq and smoked meats just overwhelms you with excitement! You get inside and the staff are extremely nice and friendly. You order off the simple menu and a few minutes later you’re presented with a takeout bag of the goods. Driving home the aroma is intoxicating to the point that you need to sample a bit. Then it hits you, ITS SO GOOD! The meat is tender and saucy, the beans the sweet with just a little hint of spicy, and the coleslaw is cool and refreshing! The BBQ sauce is wonderful! Sweet and zesty! I am already looking forward to my next visit!

Had a half rack of ribs last night with wife and not only were they the most flavorfully delicious ribs but plenty of them. Go get you some.

I made an account just to suggest this spot. Max is such a hospitable individual. I inquired about his roots and how he gained his BBQ prowess. He was happy to oblige. Quite an excellent story, for the record. The ribs were absolutely fantastic, the dry rub and bbq sauce complimented each other in a magnificent way. I have not had good ribs like that since I was at a cook off in Texas. We should all do our part and support local businesses ran by good people such as Max. It should be a given to support businesses like this. $ 11 got me ribs, water, cornbread muffin, slaw, beans, and an excellent dining experience. Find that elsewhere and I will give you a proper high five.

I ordered the TriTip sandwich with slaw & beans. The sauce is outstanding. The meat was tough, though flavorful. The beans are cooked with meat and while tasty, they were lukewarm. The slaw was crispy and sauced just right! Take out only. Cornmeal muffin was undercooked. Worthy of another try — perhaps the ribs next time.

First time here. We had to stop once we smelled the smoker as we were driving on highway 70. We couldn’t decide what to order so we requested an assortment of meats. Unfortunately the brisket was sold out however the burnt ends were tender, smokey & flavorful. The best I’ve had! The ribs were falling off the bone with a tasty BBQ sauce base. The chicken was tender & tasty as well. Must come back to try the brisket!

Very soft, tasty meat, but is kinda expensive for the amount that you receive. I had to drive down the street to use the bathroom at the Chevron because they have no restroom. There is only one picnic table where you can eat. The BBQ, beans and slaw has a lot of sugar, but the meat is tender.

Amazing. Everything is great. I could eat here every day. The owners are so friendly and the cook as well, you can tell they all love their jobs.

We stopped in here on our way back to Sacramento. Just great BBQ! The sauce was fantastic and the meat was so tender. We got 2 different meals on purpose so we could both sample something new. It’s too bad they are so far from where I live. But I’ll go back when I’m passing through again.

Great fresh food and super friendly staff.
My wife and I stopped in for lunch and now we are going to have to come back for dinner. Our lunch was THAT good.

If you like outstanding BBQ, this is the place to come, with great food, very reasonable prices, and fantastic owners! The beef brisket is absolutely outstanding and the chicken corn chowder is the best I have ever had any where across the country. All of the meats are superb! Can’t wait to spread the word about your delicious food and welcoming family! Thank you!

Oh my! Stopped while out for a ride on a beautiful day, made better after we stopped for lunch. Fresh corn muffin with BBQ chicken corn chowder, thick tasty with huge pieces of chicken… and he had a soft sandwich roll stuffed with pulled pork. tasty, big ol chunks of pork in a spicy yet sweeeeeet sauce. All over his face. so delicious. And the staff. super nice

This place has burnt tips omg can’t get any better you have to try been all over California and this is the second place I’ve found with BURNT TIPS MAX the owner is a super cool dude so are the rest of the staff not a suit down joint but does not matter because this is the kind of bbq you just can’t make at home NO JOKE BBQ!!!

Stopped Hereford a early dinner. It was really good. I had the pork ribs… tender, juicy and just good! Really liked the baked beans that were served with it. Hubby had the tri-​tip sandwich, and enjoyed it also. Good flavor and tender. Will stop there again!

Kind of pricey for the amount if food. Was ok but not the best flavor. Sauce was bottle like taste. There was no briskest which i what I stopped for. I might go back.

Now I don’t need to drive to Louisiana for great BBQ and southern hospitality… Love this place!

This is beyond the real deal!!! Max is incredible! I first found this place as I was driving in to work one morning. I smelled the magic aroma from the smoker as I passed it and had to go back by during lunch. Was I ever in for a surprise!
Walking up to the front door you aren’t quite sure what to expect. The outside is very plain. But turns out appearances don’t mean anything in this case! On the walls inside are awards and certifications that Max has earned over the years from competitions as well as the Kansas City Society of BBQ. The menu is simply written on a dry erase board and changes depending on what is ready to go at that time. The basic choices are beef brisket, pulled pork, pork spare ribs, tri tip, and chicken. Sweet corn bread muffins, cole slaw, and BBQ baked beans are available as side items. Several of the proteins are available as sandwiches as well as full on plates.
I’ve tried everything but the chicken so far and everything has been beyond reproach! The pulled pork and brisket are my top 2 choices as they are better than I have had ANYWHERE! And the ribs are a VERY close 2^nd. The tri tip was great, but I’m just not a big fan of that cut of meat in general so I’m not the best judge on that.
There are 2 things here that stick out even more than the mouth watering food. First is the personality. I never get out of there quickly as I end up staying and just talking. You truly do feel at home when you walk in those doors. That is such a rare trait that it should be celebrated! The 2^nd major point is price. Max, I love your insanely low prices but you’re not charging enough for the quality of product you’re offering! Of course you can feel free to keep your prices the same for me if/​when you raise them. Haha!!!
I can’t wait for the secret of Max’s Black Bear BBQ to start getting out. It simply does NOT get any better than this in Northern California when it comes to BBQ. I’ll be a very regular customer so long as Max has his doors open.