Big Jim's Family Restaurant

Im a 7th generation Texan, and I LOVE southern cooking. This was my first time to try this restaurant, and the pleasant surprises started before my wife and I even got thru the doors. We were greater by Jaime, who held the door open for us as he greeted us. His service was spot on wonderful. At the time Jaime was the only waiter on duty, and he effortlessly took care of all of the customers without anyone having to wait very long for anything. This was the first time in a long time that I never had to look for my waiter or waive him down. All of my needs/wants were met in a timely fashion. The atmosphere eased my homesickness for Texas with its country theme, and lots of beautiful wood and brass. And the food was great tasting, large portions, and very reasonably priced. I had the country fried steak, and my wife had the tuna melt. We also tried the house salad, and the cream of chicken soup (we ordered an extra bowl to take home!). It was all hot, fresh, and tasty. We will definitely be back!! Thank you, Big Jim's, for any rare and great dining experience.

Good service, food is okay, but newly overpriced. Was there a month prior to last visit and prices were their usual great prices. Last visit prices were doubled! The food quality and quantity no longer matches the price.

I recently celebrated my significant other’s birthday at Big Jim’s Family Restaurant, bringing together both of our families for a truly special evening. Hosting such a large group could have been stressful, but the team at Big Jim’s handled everything with ease. The food was served hot and on time, and the service was nothing short of amazing. The staff made sure everything went smoothly, checking in regularly to ensure we were happy and that the event was going as planned. It’s rare to find such genuine care and attention, even at the priciest places, but Big Jim’s delivered beyond expectations. We all went home full, happy, and with delightful memories that we’ll cherish. The price was very reasonable, especially considering the top-notch service and delicious food. This family-owned restaurant has a warm, local feel, but they manage to offer flavors and service that rival the best spots in town. They truly care about their customers and making sure every detail is perfect. In a big city, it’s easy for gems like Big Jim’s to go unnoticed, but they deserve to shine. It’s a place where you feel valued, where your event matters as much to them as it does to you. We’re already planning our next gathering here, and I can’t wait to spread the word about this fantastic spot.

I came her with my family. It was during lunch. Not too busy, but we were a huge party. Nice and generous staffing. I ordered the meatloaf sandwich, but the waiter must've mishearde and brought the meatloaf plate. He took it back and brought the sandwich plate, but you could tell the kitchen staff threw the same meatloaf piece in between 2 piece of bread; first off, the meatloaf had no cheese; there was no sauce of any kind on it, but luckily the meatloaf itself was juicy; and no grilled onions, which is what was supposed to be on top of the cheese and sauce. So kitchen staff did me dirty on that, but the waiter was apologetic about it. As I said, the meatloaf itself was good and saved this rating. The fries were basic and the string type. I also got the taquitos appetizer. A very nice presentation and they were quite good. The skillet plates, which I did not try, but was told it was good, looked appetizing and came with a separate plate of rice and beans. All in all, a good experience. The kitchen staff needs to be more understanding of mishaps and mistakes and refire an entire meal if it comes out wrong. I'm 50/50 on whether I'd try this again.

They need more help. Service is slow. Specially if people are paying for the venue. The lady with the curly hair was trying to help everyone. The one with blond streaks was super slow and never took us our order.

Been coming here since I was a child. Food is just as great and the service is always kind and welcoming. Love the cowboy theme to the place. It does see a regular amount of traffic, but it's not overwhelming or a long wait. Took a few pics 📸 Check them out. One is of a tasty looking cheesecake. And the other is the entrance to the bar. 🍹 Now, that I'm an adult, the bar is something to try. Havent had the pleasure yet, but will try it out soon. I've heard growing up, it was always a fun place to go to. Definitely recommend visiting. 👌 Happy hour is always popular. Currently, they are offering Thanksgiving meal for dine in and takeout. I ordered 6 for my family, and it was reasonably priced. Overall, it's definitely worth stopping by and trying it out. If you're not hungry, stop by to the bar. It's down at the end of the building from the main entrance. It's 5 o'clock somewhere. 🍹

I like the seating space. Food is good. The restrooms need to be upgraded it would be nicer if it had touchless sensor faucets and toilets and maybe a touchless hand dryer machine. It is a nice place to eat. Nice people.

The waiter was really nice and food was yummy. I got a too good order and the food was packed well.

Went here with a group of 3 after a meeting in the area. Arrived around 11:30am and the place was slow. Our server was super nice and helpful. I tried the chicken sandwich which was good. Large portion, juicy chicken, the veggies were all of good quality and tasty. The group had the mushroom burger and Philly cheese steak. Everyone cleaned their plates and said it was good. All in all decent family style restaurant with solid food. Nothing exceptional but you will have a good meal at a decent price. The portions were generous and we all ate and left happy. I would return if the occasion presented itself.

First time trying this place breakfast burrito extremely greasy ridiculously it dripped all over. Pancakes taste chewy and bitter I was really looking forward to liking this place and the food over priced. Customer service 10/10

Food and drinks were excellent! Mercina is so sweet! Great service from everyone! Fish taco was amazing

Have gone here a couple of times for different family events. Food is a hit or miss, one time it it wasn't too great, but another time around it was good. Service is fine. I feel like the drinks are too expensive for the restaurant. I spend $25 on a beer and a cocktail. However, the worst part about everything is how loud the music is. It is EXTREMELY LOUD...to the point where my phone was telling me it was dangerous for my ears and we were not sitting next to the speakers. That's honestly the reason why we likely won't go back because it's unbearable. You can't even enjoy your time there because of that.

Food is delicious! Their fried chicken is the best! Their salmon is incredible! Everything I ever had is great. The service is amazing! From the owner Mercina to all the staff! Always welcoming you and making you feel at home! I highly recommend it.

Service is good here. The ceiling on a certain section of the restaurant is really nice making for a great ambiance. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and it was great. I've also had other options, and it's always been a good place to eat.

I really wanted to like this place, especially with its long-standing reputation and history in the community. Unfortunately, the food just didn't live up to the hype. Everything we ordered was bland and lacked the flavor you'd expect from a family-run establishment that's been around for years. The ingredients didn't seem very fresh, and the presentation was just as underwhelming. It's a shame because the atmosphere has charm, and the staff were friendly, but when the main reason for coming--good food--falls flat, it's hard to justify a return visit.

Never disappoint! Always big portions and good pricing. Please don't listen to the bad experiences and go try for yourself. Everything is homemade!

We came in after a long travel day terminating at Burbank airport. We were hungry and looking for anything open. We came across big Jim's and it was open so it met our minimum criteria! There was only one other group than us there, but it was late so it was understandable. I have food allergies and our waiter knew the menu like the back of his hand and was able to help guide me to a safe meal! I got the steak and veggies. It was all quite good - especially after not having eaten all day. My husband got the buffalo wings and he enjoyed them. Would gladly return the next time we transit through Burbank!

I was hungry and I wanted subway so I helped my way to subway which was next door BUT I passed by this place a few times before when exiting and decided to try it out. First off, the place gave big Texan vibes or at least it's supposed to haha but I suspect that those days are over and the restaurant decor and ambiance are just here for the sake of not needing to decorate again and such. I was greeted by no one at the front, now before anyone decides to be upset by that the welcome desk they had at the front is now abandoned so don't expect someone at the front. It's probably because at one point this place was really bustling and they had multiple wait staff to handle such situations but now not so much OR it's because it's probably used during the weekends in the morning for when they are busier either way to get seated you should just go past the desk and go towards the back to locate the wait staff because they are doing their best to take care of the guests they currently have which by the way there are only two waiters so it's understandable. Anyways I was seated and I was hungry! The menu was what you would expect! Tex-mex mix with some local diner favorites kind of like a dennys but in my opinion better becauseee the quality of the food was actually pretty good! I got the Crispy Taquitos and Christina's burger. So i went to town when I received my food and first off I went for the taquitos and wow they were true to their name! Crunchy and crispy! The insides were filled with the beef and I think some sautéed peppers in there topped with a drizzle of crème and salsa verde with a scoop of guacamole in the middle and salsa for dipping! The flavor was great and the meat was tender! I really enjoyed them! I went for the burger next! Ok so I have to say the watermelon threw me off haha but it's probably there because the person who named this burger Christina lol probably like watermelon with their burger haha. The burger was on a nice seeded brioche bun with a 1/3 lb delicious juicy beef patty topped with grilled onions, mushrooms and the crowning topper BACON a generous amount with nice slices and crispy too! The burger was bursting with flavor and for some reason beef, cheese, bacon, grilled onions and mushrooms ALWAYS go well together....food is awesome haha. The fries weren't too bad! They were lightly seasoned with Cajun seasoning and it was nice and hot and they were shoe string fries which I appreciate a lot! With that being said I have three gripes about things I saw while waiting. 1. One of the servers was gonna do some work while waiting for guests and or food to come out. This server dropped their towel on the floor and picked it up....then started wiping down utensils with it and putting them away for use on the counter. 2. The same server brought out food for the guests and before serving them brought the food to the counter and used his barehand to "fluff" the food meaning to make it a little more presentable by spreading out the ingredients on it just a tad that way it looked nicer and evened out instead of it all in the center. 3. Another server who came out to do some work while waiting for food or guests brought more utensils to wipe down and set up for guests to use. The server dropped a utensil on the floor and picked it back up wiped it off and put it back with the clean ones and continued to wrap it. Now a few things here about it gross lol and also maybe instead of doing those things take it to the utensil back and have it washed again. Use a different towel when you drop the one you're gonna use to wipe the utensils with and maybe use gloves to set the food up for presentation next time. All these things can be fixed by having them train a little better in my opinion a guest doesn't need to blast the workers and call them nasty names and or say things that aren't necessary because we make mistakes. So instead of doing those things just politely tell the management, "hey i saw something's regarding cleanliness with your workers and maybe train them and remind them about it so that next time this own happen for the sake of the guests health." Simple as that and it's up to the guest if they wanna leave or stay or never come back but no need to berate them and be impolite. I've been there! While food safety and health is a BIG concern for guests and an important one there is absolutely no need to be nasty and mean about it. So with that being said for me the service was great! The workers were very nice and helping and tended to my every need! Food was great, service was awesome and the place was decent just that cleanliness issue should be a cause for concern with management. So for me after all that I give this place a 5/5 stars because overall I was pleased with my food and service regardless of what occurred. Thank you guys! I'll be back again and hopefully I don't catch those things happening once more haha

I was raised in the Pacoima/Arleta area, and have never eaten (or really had the desire to) at Big Jim's because I just had a hunch about this place. Well, I went yesterday and my suspicions were validated. With that said, it was my first and it'll be my last time there. I was there for a funeral reception so we were in "the banquet room" next to the bar. We walked in, and there was only one occupied table in the regular part of the restaurant so it wasn't very busy. I went to use the restroom and the soap dispenser was not working. Right away, I became concerned because how many people (perhaps even the employees) have chosen not to say anything and have left with unwashed hands. I immediately approached a waiter to inform him and he said "OK". I presumed he would get someone to take care of this since I was waiting in the doorway just wanting to wash my hands. About five minutes went by, and I approached him again to which I got a "Yeah yeah...I'll do it right now." At that point, I asked for the manager and he told he "she's busy" and couldn't talk to me. I said "Will she be too busy when the health department walks in after I call them?" Upset, I walked to my car, got sanitizer, and came back to the banquet room. I explained to my family and friends that I would not be eating anything from here because they clearly don't take a sanitary environment seriously. As it was, they had uncovered food in chafing dishes with dusty air conditioning vents that had the ducts exposed (see picture). I sat down and a waitress came to offer us a soft drink and I asked for a coke which she brought. I then asked for a straw, and she said "we don't have straws here". I said "OK", but I knew that was a lie because my brother ordered two drinks from the bar and had his drink placed RIGHT NEXT TO MINE with a clear plastic straw in it. I was highly annoyed. My brother got up and grabbed a handful of straws from the bar and brought them to the table. I ended up leaving the soda with the straw on top untouched. My family and I ended up leaving early because almost an hour had passed, and they were barely serving food to the rest of the people, and we had somewhere else to be. Them not eating there was probably a blessing in disguise. Never again.

We just had Fathers Day brunch and Big Jim's and it was wonderful! The food was delicious and we had such a wonderful selection. The staff was beyond incredible and attentive! Our server, Erica, went above and beyond! The restaurant was clean and extremely hospitable! Definitely coming back!

The food was so delicious. The portions were very generous and the food was fresh. The carrot cake was moist and to die for. The staff was professional , polite and attentive. The owner's daughter was charming and greets every customer personally. The ambiance was quite and very pleasant. Western style motifs. I highly recommend this restaurant.

We'd driven by a bunch of times and finally decided to try. I always get a strange feeling when there's NO ONE THERE. There was one other patron actually. But it was so empty. I had the Texas Chili burger with fruit instead of fries. It was a patty with cheese, chili, grilled onions and cheese on Texas toast. It was very good even though I asked for no tomato and had to pick them off. He had the club sandwich with fruit and liked it. We'll return.

This restaurant was pleasantly surprising. My family used to eat here years ago but I haven't been there in 30 years. Someone in the family suggested that we have a get together for my aunt's 81st birthday as it's centrally located and has a big room in the back to accommodate larger parties. So I called made a reservation for 20. When I arrived I was greeted by the owner. Her father started the business 46 years ago. The table was ready for us. Service was wonderful and the food was very good. Generous portions and reasonably priced. I highly recommend Big Jim's !

Food is fresh and fabulous! Prices are reasonable. Staff is efficient and friendly . Comfortable atmosphere. Love this place! Try to go every week!

Servicio y Comida exelente Hace un par de Semanas me invitaron a un party y to-do muy bonito 5 muy Buena experiencia El personal y la dueña muy amables

Been wanting to try this place for awhile but just haven't! I had to go to Kohl's today so we decided to try it out. I'm glad we did. It was very quiet so we didn't know they were open, granted it was like 4:00 pm so not yet dinner time. Got seated and got drinks. I ordered the Chicken Parm, he ordered the Pork Chops. Both were very good! Our server, Jaime was very nice and attentive. I'm glad we were able to stop by!

Decided to try Big Jim's last Friday night. It was 7pm on a Friday and there were only 2 other people in the restaurant. We walked in through the back patio as the sign out front stated we should, and we walked through the whole restaurant trying to find somebody to seat us. A man working there just told us to sit anywhere, so we did. First off, I wasn't expecting anything great here, and the whole experience met my expectations. We got the New York steak. It came with weird tasting mashed potatoes, 2 onion rings, and previously frozen vegetables. The steak was way over cooked, and it was just okay. I ate just the steak and didn't finish anything else. The meal was reminiscent of something you would eat at a Denny's or someplace similar. The service was good and quick. Our server was very attentive and friendly. This restaurant doesn't have anything that I would ever want to return for.

The main issues was the server could not understand English. It was obvious she couldn't understand what we wanted when trying to order. She kept asking us in Spanish. After 12 minutes of brining back the wrong drinks, we left. In a weird way, I was almost impressed with how bad the service was in such a short time. "

Order the chicken Alfredo it had no taste at All -and it tasted weird. Also my husband order the Philly steak with fries the fries are super hard like they must of been sitting in the kitchen for a while and just recooked them. Overall would not recommend to spend your money at this location. I decided to try it since on YELP the reviews were not that bad. I will not go back to this place. Don't waste your money here.

Yummy spicy cucumber margarita while I wait for karaoke to begin ! Love coming on Friday nights to enjoy live entertainment.

The food is good but the service is horrible. We had to go fill up our own drinks. And to add we were the only ones in the restaurant. People started coming in and it took at least 10 minutes before they got acknowledged.

Best Food Ever! This Sunday they introduced a reduction in price menu. Their beef, chicken or sizzling steak and shrimp Fajitas are my favorites. Served with beans and rice. The Onion Rings are delicious and freshly made. I always order some. The customers are very friendly. The Service is A-1. The decor is South western. The restaurant looks like the Alamo in Texas. Beautiful art work and murals of Arizona monuments of Rock formations. A wide variety of food is available. Homemade desserts. carrot cake, flan and Cherry Cheesecake are made fresh on the premises. I give this restaurant 5 Stars.

Decor is outdated but the steak fajitas are fire! Excellent service, plenty of staff.

Our family has patronized Big Jims for many, many years. Great employees, especially Jaime and Hugo. The portions are generous, fresh and tasty. We have never been disappointed. Give them a try! You won't regret it!!!

I've driven by this place and always said I needed to check it out one day, but as soon as I drive off it'd be outta mind, but then it appeared in Yelp and I knew we'd be eating this morning, so figured it was perfect timing. I was looking forward to the country atmosphere the exterior and name suggested, but there was NONE of that; almost like distinct areas, none which looked like a country bar, but it all reminded me of a banquet hall. It wasn't very busy, so the inside lacked any ambience at all and elected to sit on the patio. The staff was very pleasant, efficient and after deciding what from the large menu we'd order, the food was well prepared and tasty.

I TOTALLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE. I been here 4 times and the food is BOMB! Big portions and a GREAT PRICE!!! The servers are amazing and totally attend to your NEEDS .. And ..... If you get the privilege to meet the OWNER . She is a very humble caring person! Let's keep this business BOOMING!!! Glenda and Erika are amazing!!!

Went last weekend and service was horrible and drinks were weak and very pricey. Been there a couple times and the drink prices changes .

First of all I would like to say I read the yelp post before going to eat at Big Jim's Family Restaurant and found a lot of negative reviews which did worry me some so I decided that you can't always believe what you read so off we went to Big Jim's. There was a post that read the parking lot was empty so that worried the person. Well when we arrived the parking lot was empty but in we went. I have to tell you as soon as we entered we were being taken to our table to sit and have our order taken. Everyone that helped us was so kind so helpful and patient they even brought a slice of birthday cake out to our table because today is my birthday!! Even on the way out I met the owner or and manager her name is Murcina. I told her everything was great, food was good and filling she was kind and approachable. Murcina thank you very much.

This place is a gem. Really good food. Friendly staff. Prices are decent. Good central location to meet up with friends.

Awesome place to go eat with family. Quick service and the food is great. The bar and restaurant are separate which will not detract from your food experience.

Very good chicken parm! I really enjoy it one of the best ones I ever had. Good service too.

If you ever want to host a birthday , wedding , or Quince, BIG JIMS is the way to go!!!! Affordable and great customer service! The team and even owner are hands on and ready to give you the best experience. I've had 3 events here and have never been let down. The venue has a perfect ambiance for family and friends! Please come check this location out even if it's for a drink and a meal!

My family and I'd favorite place to come to!! We eat here every Sunday, the menu is very diverse and everything that we've tried is absolutely amazing and full of flavor. You get quality and quantity for a very good price, not to mention the service. The servers are very sharp and welcoming, very polite people.

The decor inside was bland, it could use some updating. I ordered a bacon avocado burger and it was delicious. The server was nice and friendly too.

This place is next to my house and I always wanted to try it I got their Philly cheesesteak sandwich and a friend of mine got their western burger, my friend after his first bite said where's the chief wanting to give his compliments, me I got full off the first bite was amazing took it home with me to eat later. And also got their taquitos as a sampler which were AMAZING, I think it was the owner who came by to check in if everything was ok really nice person!

Always a pleasure coming here. The service is very exceptional and the ladies here are always sweet. We come in for the drinks and the sampler. I highly recommend the sampler platter as all the items on it are exceptionally yummy.

My family and I have dined here a few times now. I am sharing their opinion. They love that it's never crowded (ok that's my opinion) but they love the food selection and quality. The service is always prompt and professional. Every time we go it seems like it's closed due to lack of customers.

Mother's day brunch 9 am to 2:30 pm I recommend it bring friends and family and enjoy all the delicious food

This place is a hit or miss. Some days the food can be exceptional while other days it's just not good at all. Came here recently and I get my usual grilled chicken Sandwich with fries on the side. I picked up in the early afternoon. Today the fries tasted and were a day old. The grilled chicken tasted rubbery( chicken was not fully cooked or thawed out) Total upset because I know they are better than this

Breakfast came out in a timely manner 10 minutes later came out the toast it's not good service when you have to ask " where's the toast". Menudo was too salty 1 star on menudo- bacon n eggs combo- well you just cant screw that up no matter where you go. I ordered a a carne asada taco ala cart apparently waiter forgot -I received my taco when I got the bill-the asada tasted fresh however the tortilla was not quite cooked fell apart at first bite. Coffee good n fresh but overall I give this place 3 stars. Service service service new waiter needs better training, manager Hugo was excellent making sure if we needed anything great attitude and caring...Waiter is trying so I will return and support this family own Resturant again. Joe. M

very nice my birthday was amazing thank the staff and everyone here happy hour is the best ! second time coming amazing definitely recommend this place!!!!!!

We came to Big Jim's for a 80's-90's music dance party. My wife's friend was one of the DJ's so we wanted to support him and of course, dance! Music was great, venue ok but the drink prices were ridicules. This is Sun Valley, not downtown or Hollywood. $10 for a jiggered (measured) vodka cranberry and that's not even a premium vodka. My Coors light was $7. No plans on returning to their bar area but may drop by and try breakfast. I came here a couple of times back in the 90's when this place was country themed. Bar prices were competitive with the area. Haven't eaten here for a long time so I have no comment about their food.

People stay away from this restaurant, I went in there with my UPF clothing pants, hoodie not dirty or looking like a homeless. I just got diagnosed with skin cancer, so need to cover up. Server just gave me attitude looked me up and down. Wow what a service. I didn't say to even try the food, place like this doesn't deserve our hard earned money. Now I see why it has 3/5 weak stars.

Came here for my sisters graduation party when my mom spent a significant (over 1k$) amount to host a party here. Money; that I can confidently say this place would have not made without my moms contribution. The owner, Mercina, came and scolded me, like I was her child. I understand I was pouring my own alcohol (wine really and only one or maybe 2 glasses tops), but; they're alcohol was AWFUL. mixed margarita in a bucket, low alcohol content and high costing items That looked like they were infested, thick And had been sitting for days. I was not about to continue paying for their outdated and expired alcohol - sorry. But for the owner to come to me with her cheap cheetah shirt? Please. Pick your battles.

This restaurant has been here since my high school days and I remember coming here with my friends when I was younger. The menu has not really changed much but it has decreased due to COVID. The entrance is now through the back patio which is a little odd but that's ok. It's a very quiet place, at least the multiple times I've been here and the staff is always super nice which I like. The portion sizes are a little big so I usually cannot finish a plate haha

Unfortunately we did not enjoy our dinner here. The waitress was really nice. But that is about it. My husband got the fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, salad and a "biscuit" with honey. The biscuit was a toasted bread roll, dry no butter and no honey. The chicken was bad. I mean awful. He never leaves food behind, but he took 1 bite and didn't eat any more. I tried a peice from the chicken breast and tried to get it down, but ended up spitting it out. Zero seasoning in the chicken. Totally bland. And so super dry. It's almost like it was old and reheated or re-fried. But even if it was fresh the lack of flavor would have been bad. The potatoes were horrible. I didn't know you could mess up mashed potatoes so badly. And the Gravy tasted like sour water. It was really odd. I had a burger. I didn't finish it. The meat had a really "off" taste to it. 1 person out of 6 liked their meal. So, get the tuna melt if you go because that's what he got. The rest was really really bad. The side salad was nice. I would not return. Also we sat in a banquet room. Not bad, but it just felt like we were out of place. It didn't feel like a restaurant. I felt like I was in a cafeteria.

Terrible service. Took a half hour to get a hamburger and I only get 45 minute lunch. The bartender was slow and unfriendly.