The food is good. The employees are nice. The protestors are bullies. After my bad experience with bully protestors, I can't go back. But on days when there are no protestors, it's an authentic Chico experience. So give it a chance if you like. read more

Stopped here tonight at Big Al's Drive-In in Chico for two medium vanilla cones and left pretty disappointed. The shop itself looked quite dirty, which immediately made a bad first impression. The floors and general area didn't appear well maintained, which isn't something you want to see at a place serving food. On top of that, it took a surprisingly long time to get what should have been one of the simplest orders possible. When the cones finally came out, they were sloppy and poorly made. One of them was supposed to be a medium but looked more like a small, and both cones looked rushed and messy. Between the cleanliness, the long wait for such a simple order, and the lack of care in how the cones were made, the experience just wasn't great. I hope the management takes a closer look at cleanliness and service because I think a lot of people (myself included) will just go to Mcdonalds or Costco for their soft serve. read more

This place is marginal. Go elsewhere. The "shake" is synthetically flavored soft ice cream served in a cup with a spoon and a straw or won't go through. They charge what BR charges for shakes made from real ice cream. The counter area is dirty and the staff seemed poorly managed. They get two stars because I'm not sick. read more

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representative of, imo, a quintessential american dining experience. the hamburger with onions and pickle spread is a classic tavern burger. philly cheesesteak and fries were surprisingly solid. i did not get ice cream mostly because i'm just not a person who craves ice cream. but the overall ambiance, price, and taste of food is something that's harder to come by these days and it should get its flowers for that. read more

Big Al's Drive In - philly cheesesteak basket with special sauce - American Near Me - Chico, California

Only place in town I know of that you can get a lemon ice ! Food is always great, service has been better the last few times I've gone, they're always quick, just depending on who you get they may or may not be cordial/nice whether on the phone or in person. I've received both sides of the coin in both forms, so just a fair warning. I'm sure it's not the greatest gig in this day and age, so I get it. Love that they keep to the old drive in diner feel! read more

My boyfriend and I used to go here all the time and loved it, but it is absolutely not worth the price anymore. The chicken tenders are now clearly frozen. Might as well buy a bag at the store and throw it in the air fryer. So disappointed. Must be new owners. Clearly have no respect for their customers, only care about cutting cost. read more

The fries were wonderful. I saw an ice cream cone go out to another customer and it looked yummy. But I was not a fan of my patty melt. They took my money and then another young girl asked me if I wanted grilled onions on my patty melt. I told her yes please. A patty melt ALWAYS has caramelized onion on it. Then they called my name and I waited. I heard the young girl ask the cook if he had put the onions on it. He said no and I heard him say he could put them on himself. When I looked inside the bag there was a VERY tiny container of black oily onion bits. They looked like McDonald's freeze dried onion bits soaked in grill grease. There was only enough to cover less than 1/4 of the tiny flat burger meat. I also didn't see any cheese. The rye bread was not very good either. I wouldn't recommend this particular burger. Nobby's makes a great patty melt. Now, if the rest of Al's food is as good as the fries and cone I would recommend you go try their food. I will go again but I won't order the patty melt. This might have been a one time oops. Things happen. read more

Friendly staff and great tasting food. I enjoyed the fish and chips and their burgers are small but fluffy and yummy and it's nice to eat outside on a summer day. read more

Ice cream machine breaking down on the first 100 degree of the summer is not a good way to retain a loyal customer base. In my opinion, Big Al's has gone downhill hill since Ownership changed. Was great back in the 80 & 90's ! Not so much today! Was a poor experience read more

Over priced ice cream. Was charged a large and got a small. I'll be going somewhere else from now on.

Food is quickly served, you wait for your name , nearby the order window. The cost is fair, burger patty sizes could be 'beefed' up.....lol. they are comparably smaller for American fast-food standards- But as always you can taste it's really been!! Which is ALWAYS a MUST for us all! (Lol) My Favorite 'GO-2!'?¿? The Corn Dogs & the bag of Onion Rings!! YUMMMMIEEE!! I do tremble, a bit, if I think too deeply into the cleanliness of the inner kitchen, cooking/prep areas, though, in all honesty! You gotta have some amount of apprehension as u enter the dining room, needs much deep, deep, & even more deep CLEANING! Woofty!! ITS not an aesthetically appealing eating area! Sorry. The menu offers many options! I love the place, for it MUST be doing things very RIGHT, to be continued considered a Chico Tradition for over 5 DECADES!! TY Big Al's!! read more

Yes yes yes love love love. Vibes are vibing. The lemon ice is amazing. I also like the cones. They are classic and on some nights theres old cool car shows. Awesome spot. Classic chico local spot read more

In a world where people think bigger is better, this place proves them wrong. The burgers were simple yet really tasty, fries were crispy, and the onion rings were perfect. Absolute classic burger joint. We just got the delux cheese burger and I was worried it would be too large, it was not, it was perfect. The staff was really nice too and the wait was barely 10 minutes. We'll be going there regularly for now on. read more

Dirty place. We may have gotten stomach flu from here the day we went on Dec 17th. They need to do some cleaning. Burger was super tiny and not too good. Especially cause the name says Big Al's. Staff needs to clean and wash their hands. read more

Love this place! Good food, reasonable prices, nice people. Very convenient too. Lots of variety. They even have a breakfast sandwich! Yummy Yum Yum Yum. read more

Used to be our favorite place in town for soft serve ice cream, but this is the third time in a row we've been that they are out of chocolate. Waited outside in the 103° weather for 15 minutes. They didn't answer the phone and don't have anything posted that their chocolate machine is out AGAIN. We won't be returning. This place has really gone down with new ownership. read more

I've been coming here for years and years. Last week, they couldn't make a half chocolate / half vanilla cone. So, I got a small, vanilla soft serve, chocolate dipped. Normally, they do this quite well every time. But last week, the cone was only partially dipped into the chocolate. So, it was dripping when they handed it to me and I had to stand outside the car and eat it. Similar thing happened a few weeks ago, but at least they had both chocolate and vanilla soft serve. Today, they only had vanilla soft serve. So once again, I got a small, vanilla soft serve, chocolate dipped. They handed it to me and they only coated 3/4 of the cone. So, it was melting and dripping when they handed it to me. Also, the napkin was partially stuck to the soft serve. So there was a big notch out of the chocolate dip, the cone was melting more than usual, and when I tried to *politely* talk to the person behind the counter, they purposely turned around and walked away before I could get farther than holding up the cone and saying "Excuse me..." No offense, but I don't have to go here anymore. Thank you very much to the past owners for many years of awesome service. The new people are TERRIBLE. read more

Food is great! Tasty burgers. Fries are great! Ice cream cones are huge! Customer service was awesome! I got one of the employees names. "Sandie." Both women were very polite. The lobby was nice and clean as well. Looks like a lot of people love this place! Now I Love it, so does my son! Definitely add this burger place to your list! read more

Big Al's Drive In - Medium Vanilla Snow Cones - American Near Me - Chico, California

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The fish and chips best in town and the cheese burgers are Think the owner sold it but the food hasn't really changed just the prices but everything else is still good read more

Decently priced food. We like to get the burger baskets and chicken tenders~ Always get a shake/malt when you're here~ read more

Big Al's Drive In - Updated menu - American Near Me - Chico, California

Pretty good food, prices were good, and the milkshakes were awesome! Nice sized portions and they had a veggie burger option which was nice.

So this was an all time favorite growing up as a kid and well it's great it's still here and has new owners but it should be cleaned up a bit. I mean come on it's been there since I can remember and doesn't look like it's had much love. The shakes are now served in a thin plastic cup which melts quicker but they are still good. Got one for my dad for his birthday while he was in the hospital and he liked it but melted too quickly! Burgers are the same which is great nothing changed there! Patty melt dry grilled was not good it was actually not even toasted, it was meat and cheese on rye put into a bag..... The burrito's are the same and the bomb! Not great for you but so tasty Overall I would eat there again but not on a regular basis - it's a nostalgic thing for me and was fun to eat there to remember all the good times we had with my dad while he was alive. read more

Food was ok, at best. Service was awful. The lady who helped my husband and I had an attitude and seemed bothered by the fact that she had to quit talking to her coworkers to do her job. When asked a question regarding sauces for the chicken tenders she was very short and rude. Probably would have had a better experience and had not felt the need to write a review if the customer service wasn't what it was. Also watched a worker get a customers drink, smell it, dump it out into the bottom of the fountain then scoop up that ice that she had just dumped and put it back into the customers cup. Pretty sure that's classified as cross contamination. Menu prices also don't match what you're charged. read more

I feel this was a tougher review to write. There are so many things to try but i did not have the appetite for it all. So I tossed a coin and went with the cheeseburger. Quality: 5 star with comparability to in and out. The bun is not toasted, instead it is soft. While the mayo and such came together like a banana split that tasted just right. The chocolate shake is delicious, 5 star. I would describe it as creamy, smooth, cold, with an after taste of deep chocolate. It, like the place, reminded me of times long ago in my childhood. Atmosphere: 3 stars. Big Al's is retro but not like Sonic or a Rudy's Diner. Place is slow and looks a little run down but feels authentic, classic not classy. I have to say it has its nostalgia. A lot of families and couples come here, they kind of add to the 1960's vibe. The good news is they have a number of tables with power plugs beneath them. Good for charging. Value: 4 star. I paid $4.30 for my cheeseburger and it was worth it. I could have saved a dollar at in n out. So they aren't the best or cheapest but they are unique. Service: 4 star. The lady who took my order was not rushing but maintained a calm and friendly demeanor. The service was about three minutes for my order, which I consider 5 star speed. There is no table service however and the one who was cleaning needs to clean more often. Also, there is a 3% charge on card transactions, which isn't that much when you think about it (30 cents for every $10). You get water for yourself from an igloo cooler. You have to ask for the restroom and they let you in from the back outside. The good news is its clean and spacious. read more

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Big Al's continuous nod towards the past Drive Up Window Service with a seated inside area to order & eat as well is only the First thing they do right! The prices don't break the bank, The food is good too! THE STRAWBERRY SHAKES ARE MY KRYPTONITE!!! The staff has ALWAYS been kind and respectful even when they were slammed with customers and had to deliver the news they were out of STRAWBERRIES They were so apologetic I walked away say thanks for saving me the calories Don't miss out on the fun vibes of Big Al's Drive In!! read more

Hard to find anything wrong with big Al's but as an adult, make sure to get a double burger, their burgers are reasonably sized. And go deluxe with cheese to get a nice pickle...etc. Fries are really good Burgers were tasty and fresh, great bun Nuggets were ok but probs would go fingers next time Shakes were kind of like dairy queen and worth it Family of 3 ate for 20 bucks We didn't dine in but they also had some outdoor seating They have a bunch of other stuff if burger and fries isn't your thing So people complained about young staff but I think they did a great job read more

Decent patty at a good price but as I was sinking my teethe in the bun was so frail it was falling apart

The good: milkshakes/malts, low prices The bad: everything else I've tried If I could rate only their milkshakes/malts, I'd give this place like 10 stars. However, their food is just SO. BAD. I'd give the other stuff negative stars. I've tried twice, and threw the food away instead of eating it. Literally got just a grilled cheese one time and they couldn't even do that right. My spouse before I even knew him has done the same! And I'm not ultra picky either - people know me as someone who will eat anything even if I don't really like it. I'm picky in terms of preferences I suppose as in what I consider excellent (for example, browned scrambled eggs suck), but not edibility (I'll still eat the damn browned omelet even though I don't love it). They just have too big of a menu. They're trying to do too much. If they cut down their menu to just a few items they do well, I bet it would be sooo much better. The problem is they don't prepare any of the ample (or maybe I should say excessive) options well, and the food isn't fresh either, possibly because they aren't purchasing quality ingredients, possibly because they aren't having enough "outgoing" of each item since there's too many items and they get old. Or both. Big Al's should cut down their menu so they can capitalize on fewer but fresher high quality ingredients and learn how to prepare them super well. Find a focus! To patrons, I DO recommend coming here for a an exceptional malt or milkshake. (My fave is a strawberry malt) read more

I would have to say the meat was delicious not greasy at all and fresh. It tasted almost like a homemade burger. I would recommend this place to anybody a six-star if I could read more

Big Al's Drive In - Double burger and fries - American Near Me - Chico, California

Is the burger better than in n out? Meh. The shakes are better though. Good onion rings, need to try the chili fries one of these days. Seems like this place was cool under the prior ownership, could use a little cleanup/facelift. read more

Great hangover food! Not healthy at all but will fill you up Price of food is good if you're on a budget and want to eat out for 1 person. 2 people it will be at least $25-$30 with drinks. Food takes a good amount of time to come out. Greasy but good. read more

Great classic deep fried burritos and I recommend the quarter pound hamburger with fries

Service was not very pleasant very rude. Our strips and sauce were all mixed when we received the food.

Really good food in a mom & pop local place. Great service and great prices. Walk up and order or eat in read more

Big Al's Drive In - a red car parked in front of it - American Near Me - Chico, California

Go mainly for ice cream. Can't beat the soft serve and they don't skimp on it either.

Food was just ok. Pastrami sandwich was weak. Not made for a man for sure. Asked for a blt and they said wheat only. I like mine on white or sourdough but I've never had someone tell me I've had to have mine on wheat. We won't be going there again. read more

AWESOME ice cream and shakes. Mediocre food I've tried this place out several times for the ice cream and a couple times for the food. The soft serve is top-notch (only place in town you can get it dipped too), and the shakes are probably their best point. Great prices! Now for the bad...we've tried both their burger basket and chicken strip basket. Both were just ok for the price. Fries are good, but the burger was simple, like a backyard-Dad's-grilled burger with two small, thin patties (that's their deluxe burger). The chicken strip basket was more disappointing. Small amount of fries, 2 decent-sized chicken strips, and two very small strips as big as a roll of pennies (about 3"). When I spoke to the manager she said they came with two big and two little strips because of the bag they came, and though I can understand that, it would've been easy just to add extra fries or another small chicken strip to ensure a good box. I won't be getting food from them in the future unless I brace myself for a little disappointment, but my money is definitely in the ice cream! I'll be coming back for that! read more

I've been going here with my dad and family since I was a kid and it's a great little place. I love the shrimp basket, chicken strips, cheeseburgers, nacho cheese sauce for my fries, and the milkshakes. The butterscotch milkshake is my favorite. This place will always have a special, nostalgic spot in my heart. Something that still remains from when I was a kid is their gumball machines have some little money balls inside too. read more

3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 because I'm feeling generous. 5 stars for the peanut butter milkshakes 5 stars for their house sauce - creamy mustardy goodness 4 stars for their regularly fresh/hot french fries 2 stars for their wimpy little burgers Admittedly I don't get much else here but I did try the french dip today for the first time which was also pretty mediocre - although good with the au jus and still better than the burgers. Next time I'll ask for some cheese on it. This is basically just hangover food for me so I don't come often but I'm sure I'll still be back for their burgers and maybe a few other things on their extensive menu. I at least feel better about not hitting up big corporate fast food burger joints ;) read more

A friend wanted to grab Lunch and he recommended this place. From the outside it has a nostalgic feel to it. Like there was once a bunch of people standing at the walk-up window ordering all types of tasty items to devour. You can also walk into the establishment which i chose to do. I'm not sure of the history of the "Drive-In" part of it. Maybe back in the day it had some sort of Drive-In movie theater. But none the less I ordered a Patty Melt with fries and no drink. It was less than 50 cents shy of being $10. Honestly I REALLY REALLY want to give this place 4 stars just because it's so cute and the women at the counter were polite and the food came out quickly. I just wasn't anywhere near impressed at all. The Patty Melt was flat, I ate more bread than anything. Lacked any flavor what so ever. The fries were plain, not sure if there was even salt on them? My friend's meal was a measly hamburger that looked like something out of a Mcdonalds kids meal. I do understand it's supposed to be cheap and "like the good ole' days" but man for dang near $10 I wouldn't return. I think you guys can keep the cheap burger feel but just help the entree out a tad bit, like somethings missing. Not sure what. Maybe portion size? Speaking of missing, I had no napkins in the dispenser at the table and neither did the other two tables adjacent to mine. Overall, the service was nice. The food was bland and just not something I enjoyed. But thank you guys, I do appreciate making Lunch for me yesterday! read more

Big Al's Drive In - Patty Melt w/ Fries - American Near Me - Chico, California