Big Al's Diner

Im a frequent customer here. I normally come in and seat myself at an available table Today I came in and did the same and was stopped by the front desk lady to say that other people were waiting for the table. I say ok and ask how long the wait The lady became rude and her tone was unnecessary and she basically said well there's people in front of you so I don't know . I'm like no need to be rude. She could've said maybe 15 to 20 min or were just waiting for some tables to leave then we can call you in. The place is already super small and I was trying to find a place for me and my kids to eat this morning. She ended up calling me 4 min later to come in but at that point I didn't even want to eat there due to the lady with the glasses and beard attitude

Very professional and friendly staff! It's a small but cozy dining experience and our breakfast was delicious! Members of my wife's family had spoken well about this restaurant over the years and this time we remembered it as we were driving the long way through Shaker Hgts. from Midtown.

Big Al's was amazing. Rebecca was our server and she was phenomenal even with the place being packed. The food was outstanding & we had an awesome time. Can't wait to go back! Highly recommend the pecan pancakes and the steak, cheese & onion omelet. Everything came out hot and delicious!

I was seated within a few moments of walking in the door, presented with a hot cup of coffee. Within moments after I sat down, my order was taken a few moments later by a cheerful waitress named Molly and while I did have to wait a little bit because the parking lot was jampacked, and every table was full, the blueberry pancakes were just as good as mine, and the eggs and bacon were just how I like them. It would be hard to find anything negative to say about such a great old restaurant, run the way restaurants should be run.

Atmosphere: your typical diner vibe- food is flavorful, with hearty portions. Love love love their breakfast best in Cleveland if you ask me. they’re always polite.

Great little dinner! Breakfast was as it should be the fried potatoes with onion and peppers were amazing.

Now don't get me wrong. The people where very nice. I don't know if it was because we came late or what. But the food was probably the worst I as well as the rest of my guest food as well. I had liver and onions that was like leather the worst I have ever had. And trust me I Love liver and onions. The Fish was old smelled like fish. The corned beaf wasn't good taste like soap. Just bad food all the way around. Like I said people was great but food will never stop there again.

I’ve been going to this place for min 10 years. I’ve been disappointed the last few times which has prompted me to finally leave a review. I like to see a level of consistency ( good or bad ) before making a decision. As always, service was great. The young lady at the front desk upon entering is always nice and knowledgeable. However, upon walking in you’re greeted with a strong Pinesol cleaning solution scent that was so strong it almost made me not order. By far the food has declined. I ordered the eggs, home fries, with the corned beef and toast ( which I asked for Texas and got white toast instead ) the convened beef was beyond over cooked, eggs not fully cooked and you can tell the home fries were reheated off the grill based on how dry they tasted. Please check your food before leaving!.

This restaurant is a staple in the community. I have been coming to his diner all my life, my friends and family too. This place is so much more than just a restaurant, it's a special place for locals. The food is always good, I've never had a bad meal here. The service is great but depending on the time of day, you may need to wait for a table or booth to open up. It is a smaller establishment but you get family vibes even while seating next to a stranger!

I really enjoy a good local eatery and old Diner's are among my favorites. I found a gem here in Cleveland at Big Al's Diner. The place looks like a blast from the 1940's to 1970's, is well maintained, warm and inviting. The service was great yesterday and today. I'm only here two days and they got me for the return trip! Eggs over medium, bacon & French toast cooked perfectly. Yesterday I had the same except a waffle instead of the French toast, and it was really good too! Coffee was fantastic both days as well, and their half & half creamer and butter are better quality than most places provide -- keep up the good work! If you're thinking about it -- go ahead and give it a try!

I was just dropping by visiting my folks in town, so this is a first impressions kind of review, but Big Al's seems a classic diner for sure. I got a salad and a patty melt. Patty melt is probably my favorite diner order when I'm in a lunch mood, and theirs did not disappoint. The salad was nothing to write home about, certainly fine, the only thing that struck me as odd was that it was topped with clumped-together squares of American cheese. I'm sure to someone that's the taste of home, and it did give me a bit of deja vu, but I'd expect shredded cheddar would do better cold. Nice coffee, friendly service, love the neighborhood, expect I'll be back on my next visit.

This vintage neighborhood gem has been a fixture on Larchmere for over 25 years and continues to serve great food at reasonable prices. I stopped in just after 0700 on a cold Sunday morning and was immediately greeted by a lovely young lady named Benita who smiled and told me to sit wherever I liked. I chose a booth facing the entrance. The classic retro interior takes you back in time, with drop tin ceiling tiles and a four-stool counter - it captures the essence of a bygone era. The menus are already placed on the table and offer a plethora of appetizing dishes from eggs to omlettes and pancakes to waffles. I got coffee and the #8 without meat: two eggs and a chocolate chip pancake. I'm usually fairly critical with respect to coffee because and normally never order it from a restaurant; however, the brew here was quite good! After roughly 10 minutes my breakfast arrived. The pancake was sizable and satisfyingly delcious treat loaded with chocolate morsels! The eggs were cooked perfect and seasoned just right. At Big Al's, you get quality and generous portions wrapped in a layer of great service. What more could you ask for?

Absolutely love this diner, yes, it is an old fashion diner with amazing food. Love the Eggs Benedict. The service is very pleasant and fast. The diner is small but fits a lot of people. If you are about a good breakfast you will enjoy!!

I live in the area and used to go here often. One of the things o liked about it was the cheap eats, and friendly, consistent service. I visited about a week ago and things have changed. I get it, Bidenflation has us all raising prices and paying more, but a simple 2 eggs with toast and bacon shouldn't cost $9. Service was a bit less than what it used to be too.

I love this place. It's probably my favorite place to eat in Cleveland. I always get the same number one combo. The home fries hit the bacon hits even the toast and butter hit. There can sometimes be away depending on the time of day, but everyone is super nice and it's a small restaurant, so just be patient. They do try to move people in and out pretty quickly.

I can't believe I'd never been to Big Al's before! I'm a huge fan of homey breakfast and that's exactly what they provide. The service is friendly, the portions are huge, and the prices are great. I came on a Saturday morning and it was quite busy, so be prepared to wait during peak hours. I highly recommend their chocolate chip pancakes!

A wonderful homey local diner. Chances are you will have a wait if you come during busy times. The best sausage I have ever eaten honestly cause it's so comfortingly greasy and warm in the delicious way. Would come here after a long night shift or to cure a hang over. Fast and friendly service.

I am not usually inclined to leave reviews but felt the need to today. I have yet to have better service in the area and the amount of food we got for the price was incredible. The moment we sat down there were already two waiters getting us coffee and water. Our food was also out in 10 minutes and was incredible. I can't recommend breakfast here enough.

I was looking for a diner close to my daughter when I stumbled on this gem! Love the feel of a diner and this was a cozy surprise! The service was great and the generous portions (veggie omelette, home fries and toast) were easily 2 meals and from the first bite to the last it was delicious! Will definitely be frequenting Big Al's when I am in the neighborhood! Thank you for an excellent experience!

This was my first time coming to patronize this establishment. This restaurant is intimate and we were allowed to seat ourselves. Our food was pretty good. One of our orders was incorrect. We waited a long time for a refill. The three people in our party ordered three different entrees. They have specials posted which was very helpful because it allowed me to try something that was not listed on the menu. I would like to return and try a different entree. Overall, good experience.

Best breakfast in northeast Ohio. Nestled in the historical district of Larchmere, you will find this diamond in the rough. The food is amazing. The best omelettes and home fries a la big Al (loaded with onions and peppers) are incredible to say the least. The issue is totally related to customer service. I've called at least once a month over the past year to order carryout, and not one time have I had my order taken within 10 minutes. I call repeatedly and then I get left on the phone and forgotten. If you actually can place an order congratulations!

We visited late on a Friday morning and the small place was packed. The bus person quickly cleared a spot for us and we sat down to look at the menu. Breakfast is served all day and they have a lot of choices. The other side of the menu had plenty of lunch options. Our food, club sandwich for my husband and a Reuben for me, was good but nothing special. My onion rings were a little greasy but still tasted good. The service was fast, friendly and efficient.

Hell yes! THIS is a diner! A real deal joint full of comforting and delicious food. The staff is adorable and hard working, personable and conscientious! If your coffee cup is empty it's because you wanted it to be. I like an over medium egg and they get it right about half the time - which is a 100 percent better average than anywhere else! But its always dang close. Like 3 or four different kind of sausage! All good! Their hash is wonderful! My partner swears by their sausage gravy. I don't touch the stuff! Sausage gravy is not my calling. Their portions are big! The food is fresh and delicious! Their home fries are available with pepper and onions (Diner!) and their prices are correct. I will never understand why anyone would go to a Denny's or Bob Evans with places like this available - where you can see who you are giving your money to! Just the pictures.

My wife and I had breakfast here today. Overall, we enjoyed our meal and time here. I ordered the biscuits and sausage gravy. The biscuit was fluffy and enjoyable. Staff were very welcoming when we walked in and told us to pick a seat. We had to ask for a refill on coffee and that would be the only negative.

Always a dependable diner experience whether you're in the mood for breakfast brunch or lunch! The staff is always so friendly even when it's extra busy. My go-to is the country scramble served on an English muffin with sausage patty and topped with gravy. Also be sure to add peppers and onions to your home fries (50c extra) but really elevates the experience. Service is usually very quick and there's parking around the back.

Big Al's has that classic diner feel and awesome breakfast food. The waffle was super buttery, the eggs were perfectly seasoned and cooked, and the bacon was delicious (but it's hard to mess up bacon). The foods kinda like what you can make at home for breakfast. Price is super cheap too, and you get plenty of food!

The food here is super good and satisfying! Very affordable too. Left with a box of leftovers and a full belly. Everything on the menu is solid! The service, however, is terrible. Like, never had a server who gave less of a shit about being kind or efficient or giving customers what they actually ordered. I understand it's a diner, but damn. We'll come back, but hopefully next time we get a pleasant human to wait on us.

This is my favorite place in Cleveland--no hyperbole. The quality of the food, the quick preparation, and the diligence of the staff could not have been better. Altogether, I am stunned that this place is not more highly rated. If you live anywhere on the east side of Cleveland, I implore you to visit this place.

One of my favorite diners. Very laid back environment and quality food. Service is really good. Be mindful of when you come, it can get packed pretty early.

Packed on a Sunday morning, but a great hardy meal for the day. We got the combo with biscuits and gravy with a side of potato pancakes and sour cream. A fun local diner experience!

We needed brunch and my husband found big als on Google. Definitely a hidden gem, and not to be missed. The portions are huge, the food is delicious and the staff is friendly and super attentive. About a 5-10 minute wait for brunch on the weekends. Make sure you get the biscuits and gravy - you will not regret it.

Buyer beware! I went in and ordered a #1 to go. Two eggs scrambled, grits, bacon and wheat toast. This meal is $7.99 I was overcharged. My grits were missing and my toast was burnt. I attempted to call and the phone rang for approx 5 minutes. Called back again no one answered. Called a third time and the phone was off the hook. Please do not patronize this restaurant that thinks it is okay to treat customers this way. EDIT: called and spoke with two managers they were initially unwilling to do anything but replace the grits (unacceptable, as my food would be cold by that time and I'd also have to use my gas money to go back up there to correct their mistake) after being on the phone for five minutes she said If I came up there she would recook my food then proceeded to hang up before I could respond.

This place is great. Old school diner feel. Friendly staff. Really good food and portions for the price. I got the #12 biscuits and gravy and it was fast, fresh and hot.

It was very much a hometown diner feel. The servers were great and the food came out fast.

This was a great diner that was open early for breakfast. We needed to grab a good breakfast before going for a tour at Case Western and this place hit the spot. I had 2 eggs over easy with home fries and turkey sausage. Delish! And the service was great.

Classic diner. The western omelette with cheddar, peppers and ham was delicious. The home fries with onions on top were addictive. Theres often a wait to dine here. The portions are enough for sharing. We split the omelette which comes with home fries and toast among two of us.

I had the waffles with roasted strawberries with scrambled eggs and turkey sausage links. The waffle was buttery and soft. The scrambled eggs were flavorful and better than I've ever had. My only issue was finishing all the food I ordered. Would definitely come again!

About as diner-ish as it gets. Good coffee, excellent blueberry pancake, good scrambled eggs (w/ cheese), and crisp bacon. I'll definitely be back.

Ive always enjoyed Big Als until today. As me and my girls walk in for breakfast a young man is outside and ask for a cup of coffee. I oblige his request and also tell him to order something to eat. They don't want him in the restaurant so I tell him to wait outside and Ill bring it out. No harm no foul UNTIL the "supervisor" tells me that I, Me, Dee can not buy him food with MY money because he and his mom always beg. She goes on to say "We, (Big Als) dont do that. "Do what" I ask and she responds "buy him food". So I say "you're not buying him food I am"and she says (and I cant believe this) "Ill put it in but Im not sure if we'll make it". Be VERY VERY careful how you treat people because youll be shocked when Jesus reminds you he was standing outside hungry and you refused to feed him. On ANY day that man begging can be your son, brother, etc. We bought his food and left. And just as they wanted he LEFT! I wont spend $1 at this establishment EVER again. Some of you will continue to patronize but when you see the hispanic waitress (who is terribly rude and walks to fast) dont tip her with cash leave her a life tip and tell her to be kind to everyone because you never know how Jesus will return

Average food for low prices so I can't complain too much. If you want quick breakfast food but are on a budget, this place will do the trick. The coffee was good. I got the eggs benedict for breakfast. They were accommodating and let me substitute bacon for ham. However, the eggs were overcooked and half hard. The hollandaise sauce was also too thick and underseasoned. I wouldn't recommend getting onions and peppers on the homefries unless you LOVE onions. I thought it would be a mixture, but instead it was just potato with a pile of onions on top. That being said, I was full and caffeinated afterwards.

Delicious food and a lot for your money. Yes, it's a small restaurant, but the service is efficient and friendly. It's definitely worth the wait.

My fiance and I went here for breakfast. We absolutely loved it! It's small and intimate. The food was sooooo good! It was fresh and made to order very quickly! We will be back very soon!!

I've literally been coming here since I was a child. We lived on a street off of Larchmere for most of my childhood so this place was our breakfast go to. On a recent trip back to Cleveland to visit my family we obviously had to meet here for Sunday brunch and it is exactly as I remember it. The portions are huge and the prices are reasonable. Everyone is always friendly and the food is always made pretty quick. It's also a rare spot where the takeout is ALWAYS equally as fresh and tasty as dining in. The inside is pretty small so it can be a challenge to find seating but again takeout is equally as good here. Make sure you get the home fries with onions because that could be a meal in itself, they give you a huge plate of it and you can tell all the veggies are fresh. They even give you the crispy "burnt" edges which are my favorite part. You really can't go wrong here and you can feel good about supporting a local long time standing neighborhood institution. Just eat here already!

It was just okay for me. I was in town with my daughter and all of the locals ranted about the breakfast/brunch at this place. I opted to ditch our free hotel breakfast and mosey on over here for some great food. We arrived just after they opened on a Saturday morning. The staff was not welcoming at all. No good mornings, the servers did not want to be bothered and it was an overall bum place to waste a meal out. We sat in small table next to the kitchen- the place didn't seem clean. I gave myself so many opportunities to find another place but we decided to stay. The food was "just alright". I didn't hate it but there is no reason for a return visit.

I came on a Wednesday morning, which happened to be the day of the Cavaliers parade after they won the NBA final championship. Although the restaurant was supposed to be open at 6:30AM, they didn't open until 8AM. The lady said they'd open "in ten minutes" but didn't follow this, so I started this review with two stars. To be fair, I understand the staff were probably out celebrating late at night, but a sign should've been placed on the door regarding the opening time. There were about 6 of us waiting for the restaurant to open. Had it not been for other yelpers stating that Michael Symon recommended this place, I probably would've headed elsewhere. I ordered the corned beef hash breakfast with overeasy eggs. It was okay - your typical diner food. At least the meat was actually in hash form and not cubed or diced. I thought there were a little too many veggies (onions, potatoes, and bell peppers). The ratio of veggies to meat was 1:1, but I prefer more meat (since that's the name of the dish). I also am not sure about bell peppers in my corned beef hash. I prefer just meat, potatoes, and onions, but maybe that's just me. My entree with orange juice cost about $16 including tax and tip. It seems a bit pricey for breakfast, but you're supporting a local mom and pop place. I think the exterior could be improved, since the building is extremely dilapidated. If it wasn't for cars already parked in the back and people standing outside, I would've thought the restaurant was closed permanently!

I go by there often, never see anyone inside but then act surprisingly busy.. not worth the wait

Kinda sad really. My husband and I have not been here for many years and both had a taste for a good burger in a nice diner type joint. The burgers are simply not the same. They used to appear hand pressed but now they offer what is frozen pre formed patties. The proof is in the taste. What a bummer. None of the wait staff wears anything resembling a uniform so they all look pretty sloppy overall. When I asked for a straw the gentleman that was told to go get it for me scratched his butt on the way to get it .. needless to say I did not use it .. goss. While I realize the place is small and sometimes has a wait for a table we were never rushed out the door quicker than we were here. They all pounced on each plate, plastic cup, piece of silverware that seemed to no longer be of use so they could then suggest we leave by saying "all finished here right? .. people are waiting.. " .. VERY RUDE!

Dropped in to get a coffee to go. There was a front register duo whom I asked if I could get a coffee to go. They burst into derisive laughter as if a new customer is supposed to know that they have to go to back counter to get a coffee. The lady at the back counter was pleasant and quick to serve so that's what gets the 1 star The coffee was really watery but hot. I am afraid I will not be back. This review is only for the service approach and the coffee quality I encountered. Your experience may vary.

Flanking the Western end of Larchmere Blvd. and just North of Shaker Square, Big Al's Diner has been a locally popular greasy spoon destination for years. The breakfast and lunch menu consists of every comfort food item imaginable. The prices seem fair and the service is always friendly. The small dining room is usually bustling busy for breakfast, so either get there early or have the patience to wait for a seat to open. On a recent episode of Food Network's, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", Episode: Wake-up Call, Cleveland's own, Michael Symon name-dropped Big Al's Diner as the place he goes for the best Corned Beef Hash. As a tribute to MS, I had to try the hash on my latest visit. The corned beef and onions were perfectly browned and nicely crusted. As a substitute for normal diced potatoes, this hash contained what appeared to be chopped, hand cut French fries. Green peppers were also apparent which added a unique flavor that I'm not used to from this dish. To finish it off, the hash was topped with two perfectly cooked fried eggs over easy. I love breaking into the yolk and it oozing all over the hash. Yum! It'll be awfully difficult to order something else the next time I go to Big Al's!

My soulmate and I came here on a brisk Saturday morning this past weekend. She suggested it earlier during the week for the phenomenal food, but ever since my experience with some sad diner in Maine 14 years ago, I have been quite skeptical of the whole diner scene overall. Fortunately, I am here to tell you today, folks, that my skepticism of diners has been fully released from my massive egotistical diner-hating mind, thanks to Big Al. She parks in the parking lot and commences to full sprint towards the front door. I thought this could be attributed entirely to her being hangry, but after whipping out my Nike Free 5.0's and chasing after her inside, I witness a scene straight out of Club Obi Wan in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom...tables flipped, patrons lying on the floor unconscious, food mysteriously becoming clothing for many. I look in the corner and see the beautiful gleaming smile of my boo waiting patiently for me beyond the apocalyptic scene of destruction. Oh, how I love her! I sat down and waited for the scene to normalize; she told me that table selection is given entirely to the patrons of this establishment. Suddenly her destructive tendencies were quite understandable. After normalization was established within our environment, I proceeded to take it all in. I noticed a picture of the Three Stooges. I do enjoy their crazy antics...and look! They were golfing! I also like to party. Already Big Al knew me all too well! Smiley faces were glued onto the window sill next to us...fuzzy too!! I do love me some fuzzy smiley faces, their tender touch and eternal happiness just gives me goosebumps on my raging pecs. My darling ordered the corned beef hash combo, I placed an order for the country fried steak combo and a side of fried green tomatoes (that movie, still to this day, gives me major feels...oh Idgie!). I see that people complained a lot already about the servers in this establishment...let me just tell you right now, this is how it should always be. Take my order, bring the food/check, and hella leave us alone! PERFECTO! We received our meal at relatively the expected pace I would assume this food should be cooked to order with. The corned beef hash was AMAZEBALLS. The country fried steak was AMAZEBALLS (true or false story...this may be pork. It also may be beef steak. The answer may be in between). The eggs were AMAZEBALLS. The toast was AMAZEBALLS. The fried green tomatoes (along with the movie) were AMAZEBALLS. Tears started swelling and falling down my cheeks and I may have made a mistake in my pants...honestly I didn't check them the rest of the day as my mind was on the food from this point onward. My love looked to have the same thing happen...I believe we truly found God on this day -- maybe temporarily, but the magic is still there as I write this today. We received the check and proceeded to pay. It was a sad moment, thinking about leaving this little nook of a diner, but all good things must end at some point in a day. I noticed a food tray in the counter that had a pretty fine looking woman on it, we do have quite the fetish for such things...of course after the right modifications. I attempted to haggle with the cashier over this treasure, but ultimately I only was offered a tin of Borax. Maybe this is the cause of all the angst over the working staff in this fine establishment? The world may never know, but surely I know one thing....Big Al definitely knows how to create food ecstasy!

Loved this place! Perfect little diner. Server was sweet & friendly. Food was great. I generally don't order a Benedict in a restaurant I have never been to because a good Hollandaise sauce is hard to do, but I just had a feeling... I was not wrong! Veggie Benedict was spot on. I said ok to onions & peppers on my potatoes - they were good but there were way too many, I would definitely ask them to go easy on that next time. Next time I'm in Cleveland, I certainly will stop here!

Excellent classics. Bacon, eggs and grits. Love the place. Fast service, friendly staff. Big windows with lots of light.

This is one of the nicest and friendliest places in America and the world. This agnostic soul feels the warmth of a higher power between these four walls and on my plate. Anyone that gives this establishment less than 5 stars should take a good look in the mirror. I mean, I feel that way about a sub-5 Star yelp review of anywhere, but I digress. I look forward to eating at the House of Al again soon. Thank you for existing Big Al.

We had a fabulous American diner style brunch here. It was delicious and incredibly inexpensive. Loved it!

First, they asked me to join a table of three while there is still some empty tables. I was alone, so I decided to go for it and let "future groups of people" have the big tables. Three ladies sat next to me were nice, so I thought it was not too bad to join a table with strangers. However, after the ladies left, the staff spilled a glass of water all over and some in my wallet phone case and my cardigan while cleaning their table. I have to stand up waiting for them to clean the mess on the table and floor. No napkin was offered to clean my stuff. They would like me to wait and remain in the same seat. I had to insist to have another seat. The staff who spilled the water was pilot and kept apologizing. However, they can have a better service as a team: Can other staff give me a piece of napkin to clean my own stuff? Can they find me another clean table instead of asking to wait for them to clean the mess? Why am I punished (by standing up in the room with my messy stuff) for their mistake? Regarding the food, no whipped cream or maple syrup came with my waffle, which is a big No No. I had to ask for them. Conclusion: They need improve their service, although overall food is delicious.

Sorry to see the previous reviewer have such a bad experience...maybe it was an off day? I have been here twice, and had great experiences both times. Big Al's Diner is truly a small "hole in the wall" type joint, but don't let that deceive you...their food is rock solid. My favorite dish (both times there) for breakfast has been the corned beef hash, a plate piled high with potatoes, onions, green peppers, shaved corned beef topped off with two eggs (I go over easy to enjoy the runny goodness). Coffee is endless and tasty and the service prompt and attentive, but not overly so. Would eat here again without question.

I will be giving this another shot, so that is a good sign. So today's experience was not overly great. Mainly because we it took the server close to 45 minutes to take our order. Then it was about 30 minutes to get the order. I will add that it was only happening to us. Folks all around us were coming and going just fine. So, to the food. It is a pretty good breakfast menu. The prices are reasonable and the quality is in line. I loved the homey atmosphere. It s very 'small town' feeling. The corned beef hash is pretty good. It had great flavor, onion and bell pepper. Only issue for me is the potatoes were a little on the too chunky side. So I will need to come back and see if things are better a second time around. I have an eye on the coconut cake.