We were treated like family the second we arrived, and the place looked clean and fun. Ciara, the owner (Gerald) daughter seated us and took our order. She was so sweet and prompt. The food was hot and delicious, as it was prepared by the family. The matriarch even makes the pies herself, from home! Great food! There are even shirts and cups for sale as gifts or souvenirs. Recommended! read more

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A YUMMY x 100 Gem of a place to go! My son, grand babes and I were on the way home from Rainbow Springs and looked up "best locals favorite in Ocala" and became introduced to Big Man's Cafe! EVERYTHING was scrumptious and Miss Sierra is darling! I will be looking for excuses to go back ASAP! read more

The food here is fantastic. When I picked up a take-out order though, the woman insisted I use the portable card machine. She suggested I leave a tip "for the cook," standing there watching. I am a generous tipper, but I don't like extortion and this felt like a shakedown. I will miss the food, but I won't be going back to Big Man's Cafe. read more

Stopped by for lunch while traveling back home and agreed that this is the best food we'd had while on vacation. Every member of our family loved the food, and that is a rare event! We arrived on a Sunday afternoon, near noon and the place was hopping, but we were greeted kindly and told to sit where we wanted. Our server brought drinks and menus, and I will admit that it took a minute, but as I said they were busy, and when it was our turn she treated us like family. Everyone did. They made us feel like we were local even after we told them we were just passing through. It took a minute to get our food also, but it was well worth the wait. Everything was seasoned beautifully and tasted as if it came from a home kitchen. After eating at restaurants all week on vacation, we were all ready for that! The highlights of the meal for us were many. We had corn fritters with Cajun Ranch which was so delightful. The outside was crispy, the insides were creamy and the spiced ranch dressing was the perfect accompaniment. The gravy they poured over my fried chicken, which was so yummy, was just like my mom used to make, so not only delicious but nostalgic as well. The macaroni and cheese felt the same way, creamy, seasoned well, and just like grandma's. My daughter got the fried fish and I swear we've never had better. It was fresh, and even the meat was seasoned, not just the breading. Finally, we got two desserts to go since they are homemade: red velvet cake and lemon blueberry poundcake. both were as you'd guess: incredible. Just so you know this is a balanced review, there were misses. They were just not enough to keep me away, or to take away a star. Maybe it will help someone make a decision for their meal. The smothered chicken was delicious tasting, but I would have preferred my chicken stay crispy. Next time I'd order the chicken with gravy on the side. My lima beans were mushy, cooked down so far they weren't really in bean form any longer. The dressing (stuffing) was bland and dry. No amount of gravy helped. Don't let this dissuade you from going. Some of these are even personal preferences, so you may enjoy these dishes. I can tell you that the cooks in that kitchen are incredible. I can tell you that the staff in that restaurant are friendly and loving. This is a gem. read more

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Sadly, I didn't take pics of our lunch. Suffice to say, it was every bit as Southern Soul Food as you can get. I ordered oxtails, greens, okra, and Mac and cheese. The oxtails were rendered perfectly with a small amount of fat on the meat, which I enjoyed a lot. The okra was fried well, and the greens were perfect. I usually add a little bit of pepper vinegar, but these greens were perfectly seasoned. My wife ordered the fried pork chops, and my Mother-in-law ordered the smothered pork chops. We are all pretty tough critics on Southern food, but didn't have a critique of this place. The restaurant was busy, but clean, and our server answered our questions, and gave her suggestions. Service was great, and even the owner came out while we were there to check on his guests and make sure everything was right. He is a large man with an incredible attitude towards getting things right. I applaud he, and his staff. This place really gets it! I can't wait to visit from Chattanooga again. This place will be the first I hit in the Ocala area. read more

The food was great. The service very slow and inconsistent. Unfortunate, that it overshadowed the meal. The Chef delivered the meal and we were able to compliment him personally. They need more hands in the front of the house and maybe a waitress that moves with a bit more purpose. Food was certainly a 5. Service barely a 3. read more

We were looking for a place to eat in Ocala, on Yelp. We'll Big Man's Cafe came up, and it was immediately decided upon to go there because my buddy is a big man. We were not disappointed. The atmosphere, with 5 generations of family making up the staff and the matriarch greeting people, was wonderful. The food didn't disappoint either. The sausage gravy, the eggs, the hunk of ham, and pancakes were fantastic. At the end of the meal, the Big Man himself came out to talk and meet his customers. That's a class act... I left with a piece of peach pie that was fantastic, and my buddy took a piece of peanut butter pie with him. The "piece" of pie is a quarter of a 9" pie. It's huge... GO EAT HERE read more

Big Man has a big restaurant. It is spread across two units of the strip mall. This was our first visit. I had ox tail with fried okra, collard greens and mashed potatoes. My wife had the Big Man's Chicken with French fries, and collards, and we shared an order of delicious cornbread, fresh from the pan. My ox tail was very good. Tender and so flavorful. My mashed potatoes and gravy were obviously not instant-they were delicious! Collards were good also, as was my okra. All the food, including my wife's, was served HOT from the kitchen. My wife's Big Man's chicken was okay. BMC is a half chicken marinated overnight and then deep fried in its skin. Probably the only item that we would not get again, mainly because there are so many other items to try. Over the course of our visit we met the Big Man who made us feel very welcome. Also met a woman (Mrs. Big Man?) who was also very friendly and answered some menu questions for us. The restaurant was very nicely decorated and clean, including the restrooms. We still need to come back and try the fish and pork chops plus the fried chicken. Oh, and the breakfast items too if we arrive before 11a read more

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1st time here. Pancakes were really good. Grits were very very salty. Salmon patties were very hard w no texture at all; after one bite I was done. For a Southern breakfast place I expected a higher standard. After I complained about the Grits there was no remake. I commented at the end to staff but they were defensive. Still left a decent tip but this is the worse breakfast I've had in Ocala and I wont be back. read more

I have eaten at Big Mans Cafe a bunch of times, mostly breakfast. Every meal I have had has been excellent! Good portion size and great taste. The wait staff has always been professional, friendly and attentive. This has become my go to breakfast place! read more

Oh my holy grits. I'm mad I live so far away from this place. I'd push my mom down to get to their grits. I've never had grits that I didn't have to drown in butter and salt. These were cooked to perfection and seasoned wonderfully. The omelette was delicious too! Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, Big Man! read more

Big Man's Cafe - Southern Near Me - Ocala, Florida

This is a great spot for breakfast, make sure you get there by 11. Also, it's a great spot for lunch. The food is great and the customer service is outstanding. Even got to chat with the owner and his family that all worked there. read more

Decided to try this place out because of their good reviews and it definitely didn't disappoint! My husband and I both loved our food. Try the gumbo, there is so much flavor. The service was great & the food came out quickly. Sierra was our server and she was very sweet and welcoming. My husband said "we are definitely coming back here!" read more

Hubby and I were traveling and was looking for a breakfast spot. We like to look for Mom and Pop places when away. I found Big Man's Cafe on my trusty Yelp site while getting ready to pass Ocala. We stopped in and was immediately greeted when we entered. The young lady was very pleasant and nice. We were able to seat ourselves and was attended to right away. The building is nice and cozy and has plenty of seating. The menu had a lot of great options for breast, lunch and dinner. There is a large sitting area with a bar and TVs. I ordered the smothered pork chop, grits, eggs and homemade biscuit. Hubby ordered the Southern Omelette, potatoes and pancakes. Yes, yes, that pork chop was good all the way to the bone. Grits was cooked well and the biscuit was made to perfection. Hubby enjoyed his breakfast as well. He normally only eats one of his pancakes and takes the other home. However, this time he said the second pancake wasn't going to make it home. If you live in Ocala or passing through and looking for a great meal and wonderful service, do yourself and tastebuds a favor and stop in at Big Man's Cafe! read more

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Family owned and run. Truly soulful food with friendly service. Oxtail platter simply out of this world and a must try.

Well Big Man food was not all that. I had the turkey wings and the was trouble,dressing was dry , can beans . The sever was very nice , but food was not good at all. read more

Absolutely AMAZING! Great service! Food is phenomenal! Wonderful atmosphere!!! If you're not sure, GO! read more

Big Man's Cafe - Steak and cheese omelet with potatoes - Southern Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Never again was not treated well food soso attitude of I guess owner very bad and not a bargain by any means obviously doesn't like people that aren't regulars and right race highly disappointed I know a lot horse people in Ocala and they have told the same story read more

If you want to feel like you're at a family dinner, (and not the kind of family that yells at you for being late to the dinner table) visit this place! We walked in at 6 not realizing they closed at 6. As soon as we saw that, we told the owner we would be glad to leave. They insisted we stay and we are certainly happy we stayed. My husband loves fried chicken, so he ordered that with macaroni and cheese and candied yams. I ordered the smothered chicken with onion rings, Lima beans and Coleslaw. INCREDIBLE!! They were some of the friendliest group of people we have met in awhile. We felt very welcomed and absolutely loved the food. We will be back to support this fantastic home town restaurant. read more

Good people good food, good atmosphere. What more could ask for! I have never had bad experience at big man's the food is always good old country food with flavor and the country nuance if you're looking for fancy, go downtown if you're looking for wholesome come to big man's read more

We had one of the best experiences this year! Fantastic, friendly staff, warm family atmosphere. Food was great! Pancakes and hash browns are so good! Owner came by thanking us for coming in. I highly recommend this restaurant, you won't be disappointed! Thanks for a great experience! read more

Wonderful breakfast at Big Man's Cafe! Large portions. Friendly and knowledgeable servers. Loved the thick bacon! Owner super friendly - came out and introduced himself to me. Opened promptly at 6am for the early risers! Thank you for a great experience Gerald! read more

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Food and atmosphere was amazing. The servers were very polite, attentive and courteous! You have to try the biscuits and gravy!!!!

It's All Good in this spot., Breakfast was our mission on this Saturday morning. Mission Accomplished!!! A Wow in Ocala - Voted best breakfast 2024 by Jack & Vonda! read more

Grits bowl was awesome. Biscuits & Gravy to die for. Service was so great, made me feel like family. I would highly recommend eating here. read more

Big Man's Cafe - Love of my life..... - Southern Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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I really wanted to love this place because of all the great reviews and tantalizing pictures. I swear, it must be me because I wasn't at all impressed. We called in a takeout order and the man taking the order read back the items and insisted I asked for two orders of fries. I had said we wanted "extra sides!" He was a little rude about it. I asked for the chicken sandwich to have cheese and mayo only. It had neither and was dry. We asked for onion rings and didn't get those. There was no silverware. They were out of mashed potatoes at 1:00 on a Saturday. We substituted rice and that was the most delicious part of the whole meal. You can keep the mushy macaroni and cheese, dry dressing, and soupy limas...I'd take a bucket of that rice. read more

The food was fantastic and cooked to perfection! The service was just as awesome. The entire dining experience was awesome! We had a great experience and the Big Man himself came and greeted us. We will definitely be back and bringing some more family with us to experience this wonderful cafe! read more

Big Man's Cafe - Thick sliced bacon with grits and eggs and a superbly toasted biscuit! - Southern Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Great food and friendly staff. They have generous portions of you don't go away hungry.

I ordered the steak ham, 2 eggs potatoes and biscuits. The biscuit was good for the soul! The friendly atmosphere made you feel like you were visiting family for a meal! read more

Food is amazing yet again, service was on point as always. We ate, chit chatted and had an amazing time read more

Big Man's Cafe - Amazing Fried Catfish Breakfast, With Cheesy Eggs and the best Cheese Grits in Marion County - Southern Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Oxtails were delicious. Such a friendly place, service was awesome. We stopped in while waiting for a car to be fixed at European Car place. read more

Yum yum yum!!!!! Food was amazing! Wanted breakfast but it was lunch time. Still, this place did not disappoint! This truly is family owned and operated ! It was obvious they had their regulars BUT also drop in's which we were. We had seen reviews for this location which were outstanding. Happened to attend a show in Ocala and left there hungry. Stopped into this little joint on our way home . All in attendance were kind, courteous and willing to answer all inquiries. Attentive staff and service. A group effort that did not go unrecognized . Fried chicken was .... dare I say.... scrumptious but so many recomm read more

This is my new favorite restaurant! Great food, cooked with love, and delivered with excellent service! Big portions, at a very reasonable price, and made from scratch ingredients, equals delicious taste! So far, I've enjoyed the Big Man's 4 Pc. fried chicken lunch plate, with excellent collard greens, and the southern cornbread dressing with gravy was just like down home. For breakfast I enjoyed their Southern omelette, which has several chunks of sausage and potatoes in it. I also had their made from scratch grits, and a big biscuit, and both were phenomenal! You have got to try this place! read more

Big Man's Cafe - Southern Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Fabulous!!!! Gerald, his wife, daughter and Mom are rocking it!! The welcoming atmosphere was amazing and the food is cooked with love with desserts made with the same love and attention. The grits, the biscuits, fried chicken and omelets were the best of the best! German Chocolate cake and real coconut cream pie for dessert. Delicious! I can't wait to come back! read more

Had the fried cat fish which was excellent better than a lot places. The sides I had were just ok.

This place is great! The food is crazy good and the folks make you feel like you are eating at your friends' house. Can't wait to go back, if I ever get hungry again. Oh yeah, get the cornbread! read more

Fast, friendly service, reasonable prices, comfortable environment, and KILLER FOOD! Go, you won't be disappointed. Their Mac and cheese will haunt my dreams! read more

If you're looking for good home cooked food prepared when you order it this is the place. Cucumber salad is worth getting a double order. Staff is friendly and helpful. Can't wait to try their second location in the Shores. read more

After having lunch there, I am left wondering how this restaurant can be rated so highly. We waited 20 minutes for our lunch order to be taken and another 30 minutes before our food arrived. The fried chicken was mediocre and made me wish for my Mom's fried chicken, which I might add was not that great either. On the other hand, Mom was wonderful and made up for her foibles as a chef with her great sense of humor and towering intellect and for being a great loving Mom. I give her 5 stars and will always love her with all my heart. Back to the review. I also order Lima beans and what I got was something that approximated Lima bean pudding. I was told by the staff that delays were caused by the number of customers, but that excuse didn't fly for me. The bathroom was poorly maintained and apparently Management didn't think that painting walls was a good idea. I wonder what restaurant the rest of the many breathless reviews were eating at. I have spoken and thus it is so. read more

Great place! Fantastic food! Reasonable prices! Will definitely return! The owner strolled through and made a point of speaking to each of his guests. The waitress was great too. If I could say anything negative about the place....and I'm searching...they only serve desserts on weekends! :). Knowing that, I will still go back anytime and if it's not a weekend, I will get some ice cream on the way home! read more