Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Big Boy Restaurant

    4.1 (75 reviews)
    InexpensiveBurgers
    Open 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Big Boy Restaurant Photos

    BIG BOY RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Very loud
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    More like Big Boy Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Big Boy Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Chris S.

    First time! From the east coast and have never heard of this place. Pizza burgers, flying style, lived up to the hype. Hot Tot was strange, but good. Had a foot-long Coney dog with everything a couple days later, that was just as good! Next time in Bismarck it will certainly be a place I'll visit again.

    a menu for a burger
    Raegan L.

    Sometimes you just need a juicy burger, some fries and a milkshake. Simple American grub that tastes oh so good and it's just what you NEED. On the rare occasion that I crave a burger, and if I had the choice to go anywhere it'd probably be Big Boy. It is very sad that there are so few locations now, so the fact that there is still an original and unchanged Big Boy in Bismarck is truly a miracle. Their burgers are unrivaled, and if you don't know what a purple cow is and can go here, I IMPLORE you to get one! Hail to Big Boy, may they remain steady forever!

    Food truck
    Samantha S.

    Big boy food truck! Great idea for your next quarantine event. To keep everything safe for everyone. I had the infamous pizza burger-flying style. It was simple yet yummy. I couldn't have more than one or else it would be too much of a "good thing" but if you want a yummy, flavorful burger that doesn't need a ton of extras to impress ya then you gotta get here. For all my poutine loving fans- get their fries and gravy. The gravy, I wish I had a spoon to scoop it up with. It is that good. This is a meal to indulge, not count the calories and enjoy!

    The Big Boy
    Danielle F.

    You can't hate this Big Boy! This is the last standing Big Boy in the region! All the other Big Boys are either in Michigan, Ohio, or California! So Bismarck is pretty lucky and man do they know it. This place ALWAYS has a line at lunch and dinner time. If you've never eaten at a Big Boy and don't have a clue why the locals LOVE and rave about this place: eat the fries with the gravy. This place is nearly a historic landmark of Bismarck; 4 generations of my family have eaten at this same Big Boy. Not everyone has the same taste buds but you should definitely give a few items on the menu a try (but the best is the fries with gravy)!

    Big Boy logo on the bag
    Paul S.

    Big Boy Restaurant 2511 E Main Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501 February 6, 2021, Saturday - 11:30 for Lunch 3 Adults in the car Atmosphere - 5 stars Food - 5 stars Service - 5 stars Background - Staying with my family for a bit in Minot. I have a Costco membership and they wanted to check the place out, and we needed to eat while in the Bismarck area. This was planned as part of our trip to Bismarck. Atmosphere - The drive thru is crazy, there is a turn lane on the street which is like a highway off ramp. Because of this you can only hit the drive thru lane head the right direction. After the order was completed we drove to their parking lot, which has a park in the middle of it with cement picnic tables. It was too cold to sit on those benches so we ate in the car. Food Drink - Researching their menu sounds like I had to try the Purple Cow. Many of the Yelp reviews do not even tell you what it is. Google told me it was a grape milkshake and that is what I had. I could have used a lot more grape in my milk shake. A small was a perfect amount for me. Lunch - Again with the research as I always want to try unique menu items. Yelp reviews indicate pizza burger flying style is the thing to order. Pizza burger was already on the radar, but at a secret menu item modifier is a bonus!! Flying style, interesting name. Internet research indicates when it was first offered the burgers were placed in a round press device. Which sealed the two slices of bread together with the pizza burger inside. Then child style cutting off the crust. Name comes from looking like 1950's style flying saucer. This Big Boy now uses standard white bread that is pressed together, and nothing is cut off. Sealing in that zesty pizza sauce saves you from a huge mess. My sister in law told me to order it as a double, two beef patties, so I did. I think that was key in the making the burger better. I have a feeling you would not even notice the single beef patty as they are pretty thin. I would order this way again, double pizza burger flying style. Side - French Fries with a side of gravy. As I have lived on the west coast most of my life I would put these fries right up there with In N Out fries. The gravy was thick and has a nice pepper level. I used three or four fries to make a great spoon to scoop up the gravy. Bonus Lunch Items - My wife saw the chicken on the heating rack after we pulled up. She ordered a leg, I got to steel a bite. I could have had a chicken meal. Maybe something in the future. I also had some of the Original Big Boy, which is like a McDonald's Big Mac. The freshness of the burger and lack of sitting on the heating rack made a huge difference. I would order Original Big Boy over the Big Mac every time. Service - Pretty standard drive through service. My wife tested their flexibility by ordering a chicken drum stick after seeing it on the heating rack. They did not miss a beat. Future - I could see coming back if I end up in Bismarck with my North Dakota family.

    Pizza burger flying style!
    Roey H.

    I visited Bismarck earlier this month and tried to emulate the local order, getting a pizza burger flying style adding a purple cow to wash it all down. Having never been to a Big Boy before, my expectations were kind of low, but this burger exceeded the bar. I hadn't expected it to taste, well, actually like a pizza. As a heads up, the place is only a drive-in and the size of the menu may make it difficult to make a choice in advance. The purple cow shake tasted a little too odd for me (wasn't used to the idea of a grape milkshake,) but that burger was impressive as far as fast food joints go.

    Fries and gravy
    Alyssa M.

    If you have ever been to a Big Boy anywhere else in the country, forget everything you think you know about the restaurant. In my mind, this is the only true Big Boy location. It's drive thru only and there's always a line of cars. My personal favorites: pizza burger (flying style), fries, and a side of gravy. Flying style means that they make it into a pressed sandwich with slices of bread. The small fries come in a bag and the medium fries come in a box. Usually, I order a medium fry and a medium gravy for two people to share, but we never finish. Oh, and I love the hot n tots (coke with cinnamon). The purple cows are also good if you like grape. They are basically root beer floats with grape soda. The Big Boy Original is a big mac but a million times better. The double decker with cheese is also outstanding. The mix of ketchup and mustard on the burger is like nothing else. So simple that it's amazing. Anyway. Load up on food and eat in your car in the parking lot or sit at one of the picnic tables. And you can't go to Big Boy without feeding some leftover fries to the birds. It's a ND landmark.

    The menu!

    See all

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sean B.
    0
    14
    10

    3 months ago

    The burgers are raved about but I feel they are so so. Could be better. The shakes are delicious though!!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 18
    Thanks 0
    Love this 15
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Paul S.
    2211
    1585
    10940

    5 years ago

    Helpful 117
    Thanks 0
    Love this 113
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Roy K.
    10
    6
    0

    3 years ago

    Great food and fries with gravy! Burgers/chicken and other sandwiches all terrific.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of E L.
    0
    2
    0

    4 years ago

    Is it true that Big Boy is closed on Sundays and closes at noon Monday through Thursday??!?? Say it isn' t so!!!!.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dynomutt X.
    342
    214
    4795

    13 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of D E.
    0
    1
    0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ron C.
    0
    35
    1

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of F S.
    2
    86
    168

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Terrible prices for the quality of the food. Seems there are plenty of work release people who work here. What a shame.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Big Boy Restaurant

    Is there inside seating?

    no, only picnic tables outside

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Big Boy Restaurant

    Their burgers are unrivaled, and if you don't know what a purple cow is and can go here, I IMPLORE you to get one!

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Burgers 258 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Scotty's - Bacon Jalapeno Melt

    Scotty's

    3.7(36 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Hello, We were in Bismarck for medical and got out f hospital at 8 pm . Never been to Scottys an…read moredecided to try. Ordered a single burger at drive thru and when we got window it was already waiting to be picked up. Now that's a little too fast for me. took first bite and that was the worst burger I have ever had. I don't go to fast food places but I would say a burger king burger sitting outside in the heat for a day would have been 100% better. Will never go back to that place EVER AGAIN. Yes it was around 7:30. I turn my truck off to order but it took a minute to get it restarted. When I got to window the burger was already there. You can email me if you want more info ritterenterprises@gmail.com

    Went to Scotty's today for lunch on the recommendation of a coworker. Had their bacon cheese,…read morepoutine burger. It was awesome along with an order of large onion rings. Also got a chocolate shake, which was probably one of the best I've had in years. The burger was cooked just right and the bacon and gravy along with the cheese poutine was probably one of the best things I've had in a long time with the burger for it being lunchtime. The service was great and rather quick the decor was old time drive-in, and very family friendly if you haven't been to this place, I highly recommend going especially if you have people from out of town who enjoy burgers and the old time driving atmosphere.

    Photos
    Scotty's - Christmas 2018

    Christmas 2018

    Scotty's - Fries

    Fries

    Scotty's - Christmas 1964

    See all

    Christmas 1964

    Lucky's 13 Pub - Half Reuben sandwich & chili w/fritos & cheese

    Lucky's 13 Pub

    3.2(83 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Brought some college kids here for dinner, and we had a great time. The atmosphere was lively and…read morefamily-friendly--even though it's a pub. They weren't overly busy for a Friday night, and we only waited a few minutes for a table. Right after being seated, they brought out fresh-popped popcorn, which the kids immediately devoured. We also tried the giant pretzel and cheese curds. Both were tasty, though not particularly memorable. The pretzel cheese definitely seemed canned, while the curds appeared homemade--but both appetizers felt a bit overpriced for what you get ($14 for cheese curds seems steep, though maybe that's just the area). Burgers seem to be the star of the menu, with lots of options to choose from. Two of the kids ordered burgers and said they were cooked perfectly. Another ordered the Minnesota Bowl, which was unique but a little underwhelming. The menu describes walleye on wild rice, but it's actually served on white rice with just a sprinkling of wild rice--worth noting for anyone watching their glycemic index. I ordered the walleye tacos, which were quite good. The fresh slaw and special sauce balanced out the spice from the blackening seasoning nicely. Overall: Service was attentive and friendly--our server kept our waters and popcorn filled throughout the meal. The drink menu looked fun, and I'd definitely come back to try one of those and explore more of the menu next time.

    Nice atmosphere here. We were seated by the hostess in a booth with menus and our waiter was by…read moreshortly with a bowl of popcorn. Our waiter was excellent. The hostess mentioned it was taco tuesday. I didn't see anything on the menu about tacos so I looked up their website where it's listed. I ordered birria beef tacos and was surprised by what I received. Not sure if this is common to this area or a Lucky's interpretation: cheese is melted onto the outside of a flour shell, birria meat is placed mid-shell w/crema over top. It was tasty. Just very confusing because that isn't what I think of when I think Taco. Overtired and very confused and our waiter really handled it so well. Aside from my taco turmoil my Caeser salad was very tasty and fresh. My dining companion had a half Reuben and chili. The Reuben also was different from our accustomed 'build'. Shredded meat was mixed with dressing (vs thin sliced with saurkraut on top and thousand island dressing as a condiment). We are so far away from home we have no idea is this the ND way? Or the chef's interpretation? No worries. This is a knife and fork sandwich for sure. The chili is topped with Frito cornchips and cheese melted over all. A filling meal. This is a family friendly restaurant with a huge bar and a fun vibe. TV's all around and a few slot games in the bar. There is an actual changing table in the ladies room for diapering. Private parking lot.

    Photos
    Lucky's 13 Pub - Hallway to restrooms at back of restaurant

    Hallway to restrooms at back of restaurant

    Lucky's 13 Pub - Birria "tacos" w/cheese melted to the outside, meat & crema inside.

    Birria "tacos" w/cheese melted to the outside, meat & crema inside.

    Lucky's 13 Pub - She, or He restrooms

    See all

    She, or He restrooms

    Big Boy Restaurant - burgers - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...