11 Best American Restaurants in Davis

“Great meal and good service. We will be back.“

“Love this place! It needs more recognition because locals don’t even know about it. Great food, great atmosphere!“

“David*** and the other staff here are good peoples for real!!! Not to mention the wholesome food-- now that's flavor! Mushroom burger, mac n cheese, and fries of all sorts are my favorites. Cozy & welcoming spot for us struggling students, grads, profs, and undergrads alike lol.“

“Come here hungry and you’re treated right. Big portions. Friendly service. No one cares about your GPA — just whether your coffee’s full. Black Bear Diner is built on something UC Davis lost a long time ago: common sense, warmth, and value.

UC Davis, on the other hand, is one of the most aggressively marketed schools on the West Coast. The branding is slick — sustainability, innovation, diversity — but once you're in, the story changes. The reality? A bureaucratic machine that too often punishes ambition. If you’re independent, outspoken, or too smart, you’ll learn fast: you're not being nurtured — you’re being contained.

Professors may block your growth, and TAs might treat you like a problem instead of a peer. It’s a campus that values compliance over creativity. Worse? The numbers back it up. According to U.S. News, the median salary after 10 years of enrolling is only $54K — which is shocking considering the cost and reputation they try to sell. The return on investment is low, especially for a school that acts like it’s top-tier Ivy-adjacent.

The truth is: UC Davis is a decent school for average students who stay in line. But if you're bright, driven, and thinking independently? It’ll either ignore you or try to fix you.

Five stars to Black Bear Diner — for honesty, value, and delivering what it promises. Davis might have the college, but this diner is the real institution in town“

“We came here for karaoke but were a little too early. Still had a drink and shot some pool. Decent drink specials and nice pool tables. A little hard to find parking for the huge suburban we were driving but overall a good experience. Just a little hot in the back area where you shoot darts but prob because close to kitchen“

“This was my favorite spot when I attended Davis the last four years. It is by far the best burger anywhere in town. The staff are super friendly too. One of them got to know me and the people I went with on a first name basis which I really liked! It felt good to be recognized when I went in. I liked the regular cheeseburger but others really liked some of the fancier offerings. Portions are large.

Make sure you get the fries!“

“The food was so good! And the service was awesome. Very friendly place. I had the tri tip sandwich and my husband had the Bacon cheese burger with Buffalo style tater tot. They were topped with bleu cheese crumbles too. So dam good! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻“

“You order at the counter, then they bring your order to the table. A very popular breakfast place with an extensive menu. Good salads remixed. Indoor and outdoor seating. It can be loud inside, but you can go to the separate bar to eat off the same menu. The bar has table service and is much quieter during the day. The restaurant is inside a nice hotel.“

“Excellent food and great service! I love this place. ♥️♥️“

“My favorite place to eat in Davis! Great sandwiches, built to perfection. I have tried other places, I always go back to Mr Pickles! Great service & friendly staff. It’s just the best. Photo is of my favorite the “Mrs Pickle ( no cheese please!) ❤️❤️❤️“

“I’m here to review Genesis, our server, who was extremely good. Genesis had our coffee and water on the table so quickly, and her demeanor was so sweet and attentive. I haven’t been to an ihop in a long time, but will likely be coming back since our experience was so nice thanks to Genesis 😃“