Locations: 237 SW Fourth St., Madras; 1465 NE Third St., Bend

Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, Madras; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Bend

Price Range: $4.99 to $18.99

Alcoholic Beverages: None in Madras; beer and wine in Bend

Reservations: None in Madras; recommended for parties of 15 or more in Bend

Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover

Contact: 475-6632, Madras; 312-8327, Bend

How big are portions at the Black Bear Diner?

”Our most frequent comment is, ‘This is the small? I’d like to see what the large looks like,’” said Joe Davis, owner and manager of Madras’ Black Bear Diner.

Though a chain of 28 restaurants, each diner bakes its own pies, breads and cobblers. The emphasis is on homemade, with each plate made to order.

Davis said the restaurant’s commitment to quality, quantity and moderate prices has drawn a loyal following in Madras since it opened six years ago and in Bend in 2003.

”It’s just a natural fit in rural communities,” chain founder Bob Manley said.

The interiors of Black Bear Diners are generally similar. Wooden bears greet customers at the entrance. The layout and details hark back to 1950s-style diners, down to shakes in metal cans and a jukebox that plays continuous oldies.

The Madras diner recently underwent some interior remodeling and installed new booths and tables, an expanded gift shop and a new entryway. Davis says exterior renovations will be completed in May and feature quite a few changes, including a new decorative roof.

Davis also said that he has been looking at real estate to expand to the Redmond area for the last year and hopes to find a space that fits in the near future.

The diners’ food is standard American fare, from Denver omelets to bacon cheeseburgers to chicken-fried steaks. ”For a casual dining restaurant, the price and value of our steaks is incredible,” Davis said.

”We’re nothing fancy. We’re just a great place to eat.”

A professionally trained chef guides the Bend kitchen, making extensive use of a rotisserie oven special to the restaurant. The Bend restaurant also has a room with televisions, DVD players and VCRs that local sports teams use to review game tapes. Also equipped with live Internet access, the banquet room is popular for business meetings.

And – especially for those with bearlike appetites – for eating.

Heidi Hagemeier