Stumbled upon this restaurant and it was fantastic! Friendly service, amazing food, and we sat out front for brunch which was also a bonus!!

Big Kitchen was among my favorite memories of visiting San Diego! It has a community "hippie" vibe and Ms. Forman the owner is so friendly and vibrant, and community focused! It's a relaxed atmosphere with delicious food we enjoyed for breakfast when in San Diego. The bluberry pancakes stand out in my memory as being absolutely delicious! Everything we had was fresh including the orange juice! So visit and support this locally owned restaurant! I understand Ms. Forman has experienced health issues and could really use a hand up from those who can support her Big Kitchen! read more

Judy the Beauty is still on duty and she is probably the warmest, friendliest, and best host in America. Period. Sit inside if you can, either in the booths or at the original old school counter. You get the most interaction with Judy if you sit inside and the more Judy interaction, the better. The food ranges from good to very good. I am not a pancake guy but the pancake here is bigger than a human head and it is delicious. The Kirk frittata with bacon, blue cheese, and mushrooms is delightful. The Mexican omelette is almost all peppers and mushrooms with just a hint of chorizo. It was fine. The toast is thick cut and excellent here. The home fries are heavily seasoned and should always be ordered. If you have never been here, you should go. If you haven't been in awhile, you need to return. This restaurant, and Judy, are San Diego legends. read more

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Back to the '70's with delicious food, unique art, huge portions, and menu items named after frequent customers. If you're really lucky, Judy the Beauty will be on duty and share some of her infinite wisdom. Whoopi Goldberg worked here for a time back in the '80's. Located in Golden Hills/South Park funky neighborhood. Stop by and hang with some great folks, staff and customers, both. read more

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I love this small town kitchen in the big city. It reminds me of breakfast with my grandmother as a kid. Huge servings, with laughs on the side. read more

Fabulous experience here for a casual brunch on a Sunday in April. Walked over with a group of 5, and they had a table for us outside right away. We were seated and were brought over some water and menus. They have soyrizo for vegetarians which is a lovely option, that I added to my cheese and spinach scramble. We split a pancake as a table sweet. No frills, pickup your fancy coffee before coming here, but besides that great brunch, great vibes, live music started playing towards the end too. read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Big Kitchen is an institution in South Park. Friendly staff, good food, and the iconic Judy. You can sit outside, at the counter, or inside at a table. Service can sometimes take time, but it's the vibes you come for. My son gives Judy a big hug every time he sees her and she is always so welcoming to him. read more

Great service. Joel was great, super respectful and Kind will definitely be coming back in the near future. read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - Ghetto burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was good well prepared nicely presented. The only drawback was Service was a little slow and having to consistently wait for refills.

A corner stone of the community for decades! Go and be awed by the photos and articles that make up our towns history, and sense of being welcomed home! read more

Big Kitchen Cafe If you're looking for a true San Diego gem, this is it. Big Kitchen Cafe has been open since the 70's and you can feel the history the second you walk up to the sign. It has that cozy, neighborhood vibe that just feels good. The owner is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. You can feel her heart in the way the café is run. It doesn't feel corporate or rushed. It feels welcoming and real. We ordered the biscuits and gravy, French toast, a waffle and the breakfast potatoes and everything was so good. The biscuits were soft and fluffy with rich, savory gravy poured all over. The French toast was perfectly golden and not overly sweet. The waffle had that crispy outside with a soft center that you hope for. And the breakfast potatoes were crispy, well seasoned and completely addicting. This place isn't trendy and that's exactly why it's so great. It's authentic, full of character and clearly loved by the community. In a city like San Diego where things change all the time, Big Kitchen feels like a comforting constant. Definitely worth a visit if you want a classic breakfast made with heart. read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

I had wanted to come here for so long & my friends and I finally stopped in for breakfast one morning. We had no idea what to expect which I think made our experience that much better! We were sat in the back which felt comfortable and private. It was like a lovely jungle back there. The service was so friendly and fun. I loved how everyone was helping each other out. Judy was so welcoming and just a great presence to be around. You can tell this place is her everything and she just wants those visiting to experience a little bit of that. I ordered Whoopie's Breakfast and it was incredible. Such a hearty, classic breakfast. You can't go wrong. Also, one of the best cups of orange juice I have ever had, so fresh. I left here feeling politically emboldened and nourished in my mind, body and soul (to say the least). My friends would agree as well. Thank you, Judy!! I can't wait to come back to this special place. read more

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Patio seating for four paws and little ones;-) woof woof;-) Service rocks. Our server moved a table to a shadier spot;-))) Food's fresh, not frozen. Homemade salsa and jam...oh my... delicious! Parking can be difficult... close to Balboa Park. Challa French Toast;-) Local spot. Enough choices to keep every member in your group satiated;-) Next time back will post photos. Eating out with grand today;-))) Indoor dining too. Music on Sunday;-) And coffee cake;-) read more

Loved this place. We went for breakfast and split an omelette. The portions are very large and they serve a lot of delicious potatoes with the omelette. I could not believe how I inexpensive it was. We had a very mediocre meal in Ocean Beach (Wonderland) for three times the price. Big Kitchen was DELISH and AFFORDABLE with very GENEROUS portions. Low-key jelly about the guy next to us who ordered what appeared to be coffee cake - it looked amazing and I am getting it next time read more

I decided to try Big Kitchen Cafe after seeing it open, when I'm usually in the area it's closed. I expected a cozy old-school diner but got something quite different. Seating was limited to a small patio with wooden tables or metal fold-up tables in the front and while the decor was interesting, the ambiance felt lacking. The staff were friendly often yelling each other's names across the restaurant, but the service was disappointing waiting nearly an hour for cold eggs and a pancake wasn't ideal. For the price, I expected much better. Maybe I caught them on an off day, but I wasn't impressed and would not recommend this place to any friends as there are many other places in the area. I would give the place another try if someone was treating. Management please get it together as I know this place has lots of charm and potential! read more

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There's something nostalgic about this place. The old photos of celebrities, the worn floor where thousands upon thousands have paid homage to a simple concept: live in a small world and a big kitchen. Life is a good with a big kitchen where people feel welcomed like family, where the portions are as big as the smiles, where no matter who you are, you'll walk away satisfied and just a bit wiser because of the time you spent with friends and loved ones eating, laughing, and chopping it up. I had the combo with bacon and eggs and potatoes. Those potatoes had so much good flavor as if it was made on Christmas morning with everyday spices. My daughter brought me here and I loved it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. read more

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Our go-to no frills classic breakfast diner spot for delicious plates. Equivalent to your favorite neighborhood dive bar but make it breakfast/brunch. If you're not in the mood for waiting hours for mimosa flights or glitzy interiors, we've got a recommendation for you. Judy is a true gem and the servers are very nice. We would come here every weekend when we lived in South Park. The coffee cake is a staple. Indoor and outdoor seating (bar seating and booth seating inside) and they've got everything from hasbrowns, potatoes, pancakes to bacon and eggs, country fried steak, omelettes and more. Also some specials on the menu. Large portions and fair prices. read more

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Thanks a whole lot to Rudy the future owner of this historic cafe restaurant. I never knew that Whoopi Goldberg worked here at one time. The pancake is For Real and so is the homemade Juicy Sausage Patties. I should've brought a bowl of rice for that!_! I love all of the decor and old fashioned stuff and photos from that era of the early days of 1900's! Hey Rudy you remember my wife asked you for Latte and offered her straight up coffee only here you said. She really loved the breakfast with the tomato slices you put out on our table. Can't wait to stop by again after dropping our son off to school read more

I LOVE THE BIG KITCHEN CAFE!! This is a historic South Park neighborhood gem that I travel to regularly from La Mesa. When lucky, I get a chance to say hello and get a hug from the iconic, beautiful, wonderful owner Judy who is probably more well-known and loved than previous employee Whoopee Goldberg! Their breakfast/lunch menu is delicious and very reasonably priced with many items named for the famous and local regulars! With mostly outdoor seating, give consideration to the weather. They usually have live music on Sundays around noon. Arrive early and listen while you enjoy your meal, alone or with friends and family. This is a kick-back-and-relax place. Don't expect lightening speed-service and get upset when it's not available. They can be short-handed because, well, life happens. But do expect great food with good prices, fast-moving service people, and a super friendly vibe! read more

Having only tried two of the lunch dishes on the menu, perhaps it's unfair to give this Big Kitchen Cafe a 3 out of 5, but...............if you're put off by a lot of grease in your hamburgers & home fries (they don't offer French fries), this is not the place to go. Staff is friendly, the place is unique and offers some "character" in that any type of organization or renovations haven't been completed for many moons (which is why it offers a lot of character). Just don't have high expectations for the food. Sorry folks - I don't generally offer negative reviews but couldn't help myself on this visit. read more

The food is amazing , Judy the owner is the sweetest human ever, and the vibe in here is sooo cute and homey!

Sorry Judy, We came hoping to love it, but we left feeling defeated. I'm hoping this feedback finds you well so that you can make your dream a reality. It feels like a gas station breakfast place in the middle of Idaho. Here are the issues I experienced 1. Difficult to find the entrance. Multiple guests had this issue while I was there. The front door is deceiving and the side door looks like the entrance to a test kitchen. 2. The decor. It's a vibe but the seating could use a comfortable update. The pictures were really cool to look at. 3. The food wasn't great. This was the most unfortunate part especially for the price. Overall just really bland and greasy. I understand it's supposed to have the old school cafe vibe, but the food could really use some work, especially if you're charging $21 for a basic breakfast. read more

The food is delicious! There was a band playing while we had our breakfast, nice touch! The servers are kind and explained the menu items. The owner is very sweet and positive. She checked on our table and is a ray of sunshine! I will come back for sure! read more

Upscale diner spot, I'm a fan. We got the Rozie's Special - scrambled eggs with onion, bacon, and cream cheese, how could you go wrong? It comes with your choice of home fries, toast, or rice. We ended up with home fries and sourdough toast! We also got the chili cheese omelette, a little messy, but worth it! Service was quick, kind, and at the ready with coffee refills. read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - Rozie's Special - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had the Mexican Cheese Omelette, the first ingredient is chorizo. It took approximately 45 min to get it and there was no chorizo. I tried to get the server's attention multiple times, fail. I also substituted the potatoes with fruit, that was an additional $5. Two small slices of watermelon, cantaloupe, and the back end of an orange...basically, all peel. I had to go inside to pay and told them about everything, and how I tried telling them but nobody ever checked on me. They took off the fruit and roasted garlic I added. It was still $29 for half an omelette and coffee, still tipped 15%. This is unacceptable service, I will not be returning. read more

Good food and decent service I've been here a few times, and it has been consistently good

My boyfriend and I visited my old neighborhood today and our visit would not be complete without a trip to The Big Kitchen, a staple and treasure of South Park. With great food, excellent and friendly service, and a wonderful host and owner, the Big Kitchen is a not so hidden gem of South Park. The ambience is beautiful, with a neighborhood experience making it friendly and inviting, the walls of The Big Kitchen are filled with artwork and autographs from celebrities who have found themselves at this local treasure. The owner, Judy is lovely and a delight, a true legend. Growing up a few streets down from the Big Kitchen, I basically grew up at The Big Kitchen and coming back after twenty or so odd years away was like walking into a delightful time warp as nothing had changed and I found it exactly as it had been from my memories. Judy made the experience even more special and memorable and the live music every Saturday and Sunday was exceptional, I will say that going to The Big Kitchen is an experience you will treasure, but don't just take my word for it though. I highly recommend you come on down and see for yourself, you'll thank me later :) The Big Kitchen is truly a gem of San Diego's South Park. Thank you Judy and the staff at The Big Kitchen. read more

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The service was actually pretty good, but the food was awful. I ordered Rudy's huevos rancheros, and it was super Americanized, as I expected. I've had this dish at plenty of other places and never had an issue, but this one completely missed the mark. Honestly, I should've checked Yelp for photo reviews first so that's on me. As for the taste: the potatoes were hard, everything was drenched in oil, and the "huevos rancheros" turned out to be a dry tortilla with an egg inside and what tasted like plain salsa. It wasn't even remotely close to what huevos rancheros are supposed to be like. If you've never had authentic huevos rancheros or you're European and don't know what to expect, you might think it's fine. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this sad excuse for a meal. read more

We came on a Saturday morning and only had to wait for about 5 minutes. Outside seating only I think. We split a pancake, eggs, ham and home potatoes. Pros - the pancake was big. Filled up the entire plate. It was one of the better pancakes I've had. The ham was really good. Can't compare it to much because I don't really get breakfast ham. The salsa was really good. I had it with the eggs. Idk what they added to it but it gave it a tiny bit of sweetness I think. The potatoes were also very good. - friendly owner and staff Cons - none really. Could of had More potatoes maybe. -$31 (no tip) for what we got. You can be the judge if it's worth it from the pictures. (It's San Diego so it's expected I suppose.) Overall 8/10 read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - Ham eggs and home potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Visited Big Kitchen for the first time on a Saturday morning. The sidewalk seating was buzzing and the music playing. We decided to sit indoors. They have a small but efficient countertop seating. We seated at the counter and were given menus. It did take a while to order and get water but having read about it online prior to coming we were prepared. I decided to order the Mexican Scramble with home potatoes and corn tortillas. The scramble was yum served with chorizo. I really didn't care for the home potatoes- the seasoning simply doesn't belong with a bfast dish. Husband had the andres suggestion- biscuits and gravy with a side of eggs and bacon. Lots of fun! The biscuit was giant! The size of the plate kinda fun but totally unnecessary. I hear their coffee is great but we opted for a latte from down the street. All in all great experience, happy to know we have this diner near us and love the hippie vibes inside. Lots of images, stickers, memorabilia to look at inside while you wait read more

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I've read the reviews... and love this place! If Trudy isn't your cup of tea... maybe it's you? The food is good. The customers are good. The jazz is great! The wait staff ignore me for more than thirty minutes before bringing water, much less a menu. Seeing others finish their meals and pay before my order is taken, consistently, across many visits, all while interacting with staff and customers... will not be back. Great locale. Get new wait staff. read more

Great food Great service. We dined on outside patio on beautiful day. My friend was in wheelchair and very nicely accommodated. read more

This place was ok. Good average food at decent prices. Service was great and friendly. The decor and ambience was a little kitsch but I liked it. Corned beef hash was good and had nice flavors. The eggs are also good. The salad looked fresh and delicious. My friend liked it. I'd go back. Definetly better than the chain diners like Denny's and breakfast republic. read more

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The website says they are open 8-2. I stopped by 10/1/25 at 10am and they were closed. I called today 10/2 and the phone disconnects. I think they may be out of business read more

Take what I say with a grain of salt... I'm not a huge breakfast/brunch person.... I always see a lot of people sitting outside in tables in front of the restaurant when I'm walking around the neighborhood on Saturday so when I decided to try it I was a bit let down as it wasn't anything particularly good or different about it. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad nor is the staff or anything but just not as good as I thought it was going to be. I did enjoy the live music and sitting outside in sunny SD is always nice. If you like regular breakfast foods with some nice cozy vibes this might be your place but it just wasn't for me. My husband enjoyed it though! He loves eggs and bacon haha. read more

Finally I got to go to the Big Kitchen Cafe!! This is a local favorite in South Park that is a favorite in my family for exactly what they advertise: classic, American diner and family-friendly fun. I have only ever eaten outside on their pati, under the wispy trees and sun. The owner is always there, dancing with the diners, having a great time. If you are to get anything here it is the on big buttermilk pancake. Best thing to share as it takes up the whole plate and is fluffier than clouds. Fun fact, Whoopie Goldberg used to dine here! Now one thing I will say is that the cafe is a very popular place to dine so the wait can be very long and service is a little slow with getting to your table. Just make sure to come early! read more

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2 stars only because we got a huge discount without even requesting it, which was very appreciated. This was one of the most interesting dining experiences I've had in years... Came here on Mother's Day and they initially offered us a table next to the dumpster. We decided to sit out front instead and the plastic table cloth was extremely dirty and rundown. I ordered a bowl of chili and I wasn't informed they were "out of it" until half of my parties' meals were getting dropped off. Why wasn't I informed 20+ minutes ago? I was about to order something else when the server miraculously came over with a bowl of chili that the cooks just decided to make. So this tells me that they probably make a huge batch of it and when they run out, that's it. So it's not fresh. So my chili should've been fresh then since they just decided to make me a bowl, but I have never seen anything like it. I know there's different types of chili but this one was so dry and not soup-like at all. I don't even know if what I actually ate was the black bean chili and they just brought it out as the regular chili that I originally ordered. Or if they just threw a bunch of ingredients together. Who knows. I ate a quarter of it and didn't bother to take the rest home. Which says a lot because I always take home leftovers. The food was mediocre and overpriced. The breakfast burrito was more like a quesadilla and the salsa was more like tomato chunks, like from a can. The poached eggs came in a very sad bowl, separate from the English muffin. So it was like we had to build our own. The English muffin and fruit also came out first, then several minutes later the bowl of poached eggs. It was just so interesting the presentation and delivery of the dishes.. I had requested flour tortillas and they brought out corn tortillas. They accidentally left a plate of buttered sourdough toast on our table that we were pretty sure was meant for another table. I used to be a server, you don't let guests' plates touch another guests' table! Anyway, the server forgot all about that toast. As well as the pancake that we ordered at the very beginning of our meal, so we forfeited that. On top of all of this, the owner Judy came over to our table and spoke with us, while engaging in unwanted touching of my Husband's shoulder. I mean, it didn't bother me personally, but.. you just don't touch your guests, period. The water tasted like unfiltered tap water. The freshly squeezed orange juice and fresh fruit were good though. At the end of our meal, we made a joke about going to McDonald's after. The staff are friendly but this was a horrible dining experience. I'm not returning and I'm not recommending this restaurant to others. read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - lol at the presentation of this, poached eggs on an english muffin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Cute little outdoor seating breakfast place in South Park. This place has so much potential! Unfortunately our experience was not so wonderful. We had a party of 3. Hubby ordered eggs, home potatoes, white toast, bacon with fresh orange juice. The potatoes had a very interesting flavor. Possibly herbs de Provence? Sadly, his platter was served lukewarm. I ordered the Laurel special in hopes it would be so much more than hubby's plate. I like a good presentation, even a sprinkle of parsley makes a boring non seasoned breakfast plate better. They were out of white bread and raisin bread for French toast. Target was directly across the street, just a suggestion. So I chose a waffle. How about warm syrup? That might have made it better. Fresh chopped fruit? No salt, pepper or ketchup was offered. My daughter ordered the protein pancake. It was huge! I enjoyed it, she said it tasted like overripe bananas. The bacon had a strange taste to it, like it was old. Again, this spot has so much potential to do better. Even a dash of garlic salt would've been nice on my cold scrambled eggs. Our coffee was served lukewarm with cool milk and plain sugar. Meh. I'm glad others have enjoyed this quaint joint but I don't see us returning. read more

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I've been here once before, years ago, and enjoyed it as well. The servers are always so friendly and ready to help. I'm not side if the older woman is an owner, but she's always around and friendly. The orange juice is fresh squeeze and absolutely delicious. The pancake was buttery and yummy. I only finished half, but it was good. The bacon tastes fresh and cooked perfectly and the sausage was delicious as well. The inside is a little small and outdated, stuffy, but I am see how it could have been charming back in the day . I prefer to sit outside. Especially if it's a nicer day, does get a little breezy but overall this is a charming breakfast spot with the transitional staples. Also, target is right across the street, and who doesn't love target read more

Big Kitchen Cafe - Pancakes Sausage Bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great food and servers! Loved sitting outside in the Sun and supporting local small businesses.