Excellent brunch place! Service was above and beyond and you can tell they make each dish fresh. Love the space too! read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

We've been loyal customers of The Big Bean in Newmarket for a long time, but I felt it was finally time to share an honest review, because the place just isn't what it used to be. We've gone there for lunch almost every week, and lately, the experience has really declined. The staff rarely seem happy or welcoming anymore -- there's very little warmth or friendliness. Dishes are tossed into bins so loudly as if the waitstaff don't care about the guest experience! The sound is so jarring that it really takes away from enjoying the meal you work hard to pay for. Also, more than once I've overheard kitchen staff loudly telling each other grumpy things like to "shut up," which isn't exactly the vibe you want over breakfast. The only time the waitstaff really engage with a forced smile is when they drop off the check. On top of that, orders are often wrong, toast and home fries come out burnt, and the coffee on my last visit was barely lukewarm. Whatever happened to simple caring and kindness? Lately, it feels like customer experience isn't at the heart of things anymore at the Big Bean -- and when that slips, everything else eventually does too. The atmosphere has completely changed too. It used to feel fun, lively, and full of character -- now it just feels tired. The walls and beams are chipped, the floors sticky, the tables are wobbly, and the wonderful artwork of locals that gave the place charm is gone too. It's like the energy has been drained out of the building. I used to look forward to going there every week, but now it feels like we're inconveniencing the employees just by showing up. It's sad to see such a great local spot lose its spark. read more

We went to the one in New Market. We sat at the counter and enjoyed a latte, a black tea and the scramble bowl. I think it was called tupelo honey. Real fresh ingredients. It was served up quickly and with a smile the waitresses there are definitely having a good time with life. It's a cute little building in a row in downtown Newmarket and we will certainly go back for the service for the food for the ambiance. read more

This was the best breakfast I have had in over a year! Large portions, accommodated allergies properly and great drinks! Our service was friendly and fast. The restaurant had a unique charm and I loved sitting in the warm window! What a gem. read more

We recently had breakfast at the Big Bean Cafe in Newmarket, NH- The Big Bean is located right in downtown Newmarket, NH. Very cozy inside, but spacious as well. The service was good- friendly and polite. We ordered the Lox Sandwich for breakfast. Very good. The Lox was fresh and the Everything bagel was perfect. The home fries needed a few more minutes and a little seasoning, but otherwise good. All in all, a good breakfast! Would recommend. read more

very disappointed. got a breakfast sandwich and there was barley anything on it. I have been here before and not had this problem. so I am very disappointed in this.this is the location in new market read more

The Big Bean Cafe - I ordered a breakfast sandwich with bacon egg and cheese, on a bagel and got this. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

The food sucked? The sausage egg (and suppose to come with cheese) didn't and it was dry. DRYYYYYYY The pancake breakfast with eggs/toast/sausage/ hashbrowns - pancakes were good - sausage links were cut lengthwise? Like what is that?? Hashbrowns were not cooked. Disappointing for sure for $50???? Will not repeat business. McDonald's does better. read more

I'd serenade The Big Bean with a love song if I could. Having breakfast at The Big Bean daily would be a dream come true. I absolutely fell in love with this place. I popped in for a quick breakfast before preparing for my best friend's rehearsal dinner nearby. The service was incredibly friendly and fast, and our food arrived piping hot and delicious. I tried The Jareth Benedict - an English muffin topped with horseradish and bacon cream cheese, sautéed mushrooms, two poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce served with a side of home fries. It was exceptional. The menu is incredibly extensive, and I'm excited to explore more options. My boyfriend also raved about his Western omelet. I'm eager to return and indulge in more dishes from their menu. If only they would open a location in my state! read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Western Omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

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We have been customers of the Big Bean for so many years and used to go at least once a week. However, I'm sorry to say that so much has changed and not for the better. We went to breakfast today and were lucky to get a table immediately. Coffee was served pretty quickly but my husband's flavored coffee was cold. It took 45 minutes to get our meal and both were served cold. My husband ate his as he was hungry but I couldn't handle cold eggs on a cold piece of toast and cold bacon. The waitress took my meal off the bill and was apologetic. Unfortunately this is not the first time I've been served a cold meal there. They probably cooked and packed up 20 Door Dash meals while we waited and I think our meals were an oversight. I'm sorry that we can't seem to get a decent breakfast at a place that we used to love so much. I miss the self serve coffee and community atmosphere. They have such a great location and used to have a great vibe so it's disappointing to see how much it's declined. read more

We're longtime locals who absolutely love the Big Bean in Newmarket--it's been a regular favorite of ours, and we go there almost weekly--so we were really excited to try the Exeter location for dinner. I came in with my mother and my 2-year-old daughter, who is very quiet and well-behaved. Unfortunately, as soon as we walked in, we were ignored at the hostess stand. After standing there for about 20 minutes with no acknowledgment, we approached a staff member to ask about being seated. The response we received was surprisingly dismissive, as if we were a bother. The restaurant wasn't particularly busy aside from trivia night, yet we waited another 13 minutes to be seated--even though multiple staff members appeared to be standing around. When we kindly asked for a high chair, we were told "I guess," which came off as unnecessarily rude. As someone who's worked in the restaurant industry, I understand the stress that comes with the job, but my daughter was quiet and caused no trouble--so it was upsetting to feel unwelcome. And secondly, there was a hair in my food. I didn't bother to say anything in the moment and ended up leaving with most of the meal still on my plate, unfortunately. That really sealed an already disappointing experience. We've always had warm, friendly service at the Newmarket location, where we feel truly welcomed and cared for. That's what made this visit to Exeter so disheartening. I wanted to reach out because we genuinely care about your restaurant and were excited to have another option nearby. read more

Really disappointed in the quality & quantity of the Buffalo Chicken wrap sandwich which came to $21.33 with tax. There was very, I mean very little chicken, and what was in there was little bits, not even a nice piece of chicken. One piece of cucumber, not much tomato and drenched in blue cheese dressing. I was eating a wrap with lettuce and blue cheese. I did taste bacon, bits scattered but nothing to say it was nice piece of bacon strips. I had a $10 gift card from a friend, but even at $11.33 out of pocket I would never go back. read more

I felt right at home when my girlfriend and I walked in to see if we could grab a sidewalk table. The mood is old California, Benicia/hippy vibe but polished to the right degree. We were warmly greeted. Their menu is very extensive for a relatively small restaurant. While the flavor profile of my Lemmy sandwich ($10.50) didn't quite hit the mark I admire they think outside the box to try something new. My friend really liked her Labyrinth egg sandwich on a toasted English muffin ($6) but expected more of a kick from the horseradish cream cheese. Service was fantastic but the hummus seriously needs work. The menu is full of promising breakfast/brunch & lunch options; I'll definitely return. read more

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The Big Bean is the go to spot for breakfast in Newmarket. A wonderful menu of traditional breakfast style foods as well as a themed daily specials menu. Some dishes on the regular menu even include coffee. Warm and inviting with a friendly staff and full table service. Until COVID coffee was self serve and they changed the opening from 7 to 8am. No matter. Sometimes change is just ok and this is one of them. I usually opt for The 420 with eggs over, veggie sausage, home fries and toast. It's perfect if you like traditional breakfast. Another is The Ridgemont, a pesto spinach quesadilla to die for. There is no comparison for breakfast in the area so take it from me. Make your way to The Bean when in the mood for breakfast out. You can't go wrong here. read more

Incredible, do I need to say more? According to Yelp I do lol. So I'll say that the food and service was so awesome. Quaint little spot and we loved everything we got. The Bloody Marie's were excellent read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Lox bagel sandwich and eggs Benedict. Fantastic - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

This has to be one of my favorite breakfast places in the area! I've grown up with the Big Bean and my family and I always love it It's always super nice to sit outside too! read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Big Bean Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

The food was delicious! I've never had an Alfredo eggs Benedict before, but I'm glad I tried it from their specials menu because it was literally so good. The service was pretty quick despite the business. My longest wait was for food. But they were busy so it is to be expected. (30 minutes before close) My server never rushed me once and neither did the others to their tables, despite the fact that they were closing soon. I got a mimosa as well which was good. Their iced chai wasn't to my taste as it tasted a little watered down, but that's fine, everywhere is different. The ambiance was pretty nice. Definitely felt like a thrifty type place that cares about the environment. Only thing I didn't like about the decorations were the rainbow Christmas lights strung around. It was a bit tacky and probably would have been better with warm whites or something else. read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Eggs Benedict (Alfredo special) 1 Pancake with Fruit (blueberry pancake) real maple syrup, mimosa, iced chai - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

Very good breakfast. Biscuit was good but a bit dry. Large portions, plenty to take home for a 2nd or even 3rd meal. Only negative was when I fell leaving the restaurant. The railing does not go to the last step. My fault for misjudging it but the railing should go all the way to the bottom step. read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Eggs Benedict & home fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

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The Big Bean is a little cafe known for its exceptional breakfasts. The food is undeniably delicious, but the overall experience is flawed by it being consistently PACKED. Like, it's ALWAYS packed; Expect a pretty long wait to get in. They also have funky hours - it's definitely an "early morning person" type of place. If you don't mind this, then it's definitely worth it. Sometimes the line and the crowd is off-putting so I won't go in, but that's just me. The tables are close together, resulting in a lack of privacy and occasional difficulty in navigating through the space. I feel as though the restaurant is trying to accommodate as many customers as possible, sacrificing comfort and tranquility in the process. Perhaps implementing a reservation system or reducing the number of tables could alleviate the overcrowding issue. Once the overcrowding issue is fixed I will come back. read more

STOP NOW! End the search for breakfast. This place is a must visit if you are in the Durham area and worth the trip from Portsmouth. Spectacular! My daughter and I visited on a Monday morning thinking it would be quiet. We were very wrong. Not a table to be found and luckily there were two spots at the bar. We quickly observed the softball sized muffins behind the counter. My daughter and I both ordered the cinnamon swirl French Toast. They gave you an option of ordering 1-4 slices. They must have known we were not locals because I ordered 3 slices and my daughter ordered 2 slices. I had my order topped with bananas and strawberries and she had hers topped with strawberries and almonds. I had a side of turkey sausage and as a syrup snob, we ordered the pure maple syrup. Each slice of the French Toast was approximately 4 inches thick. Combined it looked like a loaf of bread. Very tasty. Smothered in plenty of fruit. As a coffee snob, the coffee was excellent. It was truly a great experience. They have spoiled me from now on because no French Toast will ever be as big and tasty as this was. The turkey sausage consisted of two tasty patties. I never had to take home breakfast before. Service was excellent and friendly. The prices were very reasonable for the quality and portions of food you receive. There was ample parking in the area. It's well worth the wait if you get caught at a bad time. read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Big Bean French Toast. Bring your appetite! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

To start off, I wish I could leave 0 stars; and to preface, I never leave reviews, especially bad ones. I LOVE the Big Bean in Exeter and to be honest, loved the one in Newmarket prior to my experience this past Wednesday. The waitress we had, an older woman who never told us her name, was beyond rude and judgmental. She made multiple comments for example; "you had to pick the furthest table ever?" (when told to pick any table) & "you want ALL of that on your sandwich??" When one of my friends had ordered a BUILD YOUR OWN!! She made all of us feel extremely uncomfortable. To top it off, one of my friends had wet blood (definitely blood) ((trust me we tried to find any other excuse before we mentioned it)) on the side of his plate (WTH) and when the issue was brought up she fought him on it and was STILL rude. The manager who came out and took my friend's meal off the bill was nice but again, that is UNACCEPTABLE. I have no issues with the ambience and like I said, usually the staff and food is great but that lady NEEDS TO GO. Horrid. I wish I was more confrontational because no one should ever be treated the way we were. My friends and I are all in the industry and are very easy and understanding. Probably will not be back. Honestly lucky we didn't do more. read more

Came here for a late breakfast with my buddy on his recommendation. It was icy, rainy day and I probably shouldn't have worn slippers but I hate shoes and from Hawaii so that's what I was wearing. We were quoted 30-40 minutes and we probably waited for about 25 minutes for a table. I could only wait about 10 minutes outside before I had to go inside and wait. It was really busy with people constantly coming in to put their name on the wait list, order take out, or pick up their take out order. The restaurant has about 15 tables and about 10 counter space seating areas. It is pretty small and tight. Once seated, we immediately were asked about what we wanted to drink and ordered since we had lots of time to decide that. I ordered a coffee with water, and 420 classic breakfast with bacon, over easy eggs, and white toast. They give five pieces of bacon which was awesome and they were perfectly crispy as I requested. The house potatoes, toast, and eggs were also delicious and the coffee was really good as well. My only complaints was no refills on the coffee (too many people waiting to ask for refill) and restaurant was little too busy/small. Service was good, quick, and efficient. I definitely would like to come back here but on an off busy day so I can enjoy more coffee there. read more

The Big Bean Cafe - 420 breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

Everything was superb. Service, cozy atmosphere, fresh baked muffins, tasty boozy coffee drinks and the great flavor combinations in the breakfasts. Loved it! read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Great breakfast!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

Good coffee, very good omelettes! Atmosphere is interesting.. Located downtown NewMarket.... Always crowded and in demand read more

Great food, can't go wrong with almost anything on the menu. It's been mostly breakfast food for me when I go, and it's been nothing but great. Wait staff can get a little busy and during lunch hour we do want to stay on time getting back to work, but overall good spot! read more

Always great food and great service here. Awesome place to eat. Steak quesadillas awesome!! read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

Good food. Service is pretty good. Place can get absolutely jam packed with people, which is good for the business but definitely detracts from the ambiance. read more

Great food and service. There is so much on the menu, it was hard to choose. You can really customize any dish to your liking. The homemade breads are delicious and they have several varieties. I always have a terrific meal and the portions are very generous. read more

Great food and service. Eclectic menu all of which is tasty. Great in warm weather as you eat outside.

The Big Bean Café offers a great range of brunch options and a welcoming environment. The portions were almost too big! I got the T-Rex breakfast bowl and enjoyed the variety of flavor. Service was quick and friendly and kept the place in good shape. A good spot for a quick bite at a reasonable price. read more

Our second visit to this restaurant was absolutely the worst experience. Upon arrival we were told 35min wait time. After 50 mins, we were told it would be another 15-20 min. Ok, we waited this long to go wait somewhere else to eat. A friend of the waitress walks in and gets immediately seated. After 80 minutes of waiting, we were finally seated. Ordered, another 30 mins...Ate and left. The food was ok, dry biscuits. Hollandaise was bland. Certainly, would never come here again, when other places are commensurate but less time. The issue with this place is the size. Way too small. While sitting there waiting, they lost 50 to 100 patrons that didn't want to wait over an hour for breakfast. The decor could be better. Now, if this place moved to a double the size location and tweak the food quality..they could make a fortune. read more

I was excited to go to this place because I heard very good things! I went and the inside is small but super cute! We sat our selves and it wasn't very busy because we went on a Tuesday. I ordered a latte with caramel and it was very good! The waitress we had was very friendly and our food came out so fast! I got the Romeo omelette with herb Parmesan toast and my boyfriend got the Lisa breakfast pizza. The breakfast did not disappoint! So good! I loved the herb Parmesan toast and the omelette was a perfect combo! I can't wait to return! read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Inside! The Romeo omelet and the Lisa breakfast pizza! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and friendly and helpful staff. Can't wait to eat here again

Super cute spot. Great coffee, great service and the French toast will blow your mind.

Super quick wait on a Sunday morning! Really good food and a short wait for food as well. The latte was very sweet and tasted like flavored syrup but breakfast was great! Great spot in downtown Newmarket! read more

Just realized that we had not updated our review in a long time. I see that these guys are now ioen nights, and I hope that doesn't take away from the breakfasts since that is why we have been coming here for many years. This last time was a disappointment. My breakfast burrito was a bit boring. It is supposed to come with guac and salsa but it just has a bit of sliced avocado on top and maybe a teaspoon of salsa. The homefries were not hot. My husband's French toast was great as you can see in the photo. But the side of scrambled should not have even been put on a plate. They looked like an afterthought--or as my husband said like they had scraped the grill off and put this on a plate. Just this dried up mess. As a past breakfast waitress I would not have served it. That all said, we have loved this place for years so hopefully this was just a bad morning and we will return. We miss the old creative specials. The staff is always friendly. read more

The Big Bean Cafe - A mountain of waffles! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

I ordered a breakfast wrap to go. I waited over 25 minutes for it on a Sunday morning. I want to like this place. What I saw was a business slammed by its popularity with the community. Not a bad place to be for a business..., yet, if I were them, I'd work out the kinks quickly. There were three tables open and no one was seated quickly. The person designated to expedite food seemed to be in the front of the house as well as the back. I had an appt. to get to, so I paid drank my entire coffee and was still waiting for my food. The person who I thought was that designated person came to the front with my breakfast wrap, at long last. I left. I ate it immediately in the car. The red potatoes in it were undercooked and a tad bit crunchy. The flavors of everything were delicious but... anyhow- note to self... giving it a three because some of the potatoes were just right. I'd work on communication among the team. I'd work on filling tables and not being what seemed to be just overwhelmed by a momentary rush and being confused. No one really took responsibility for my small meal. For me it was a rare moment for eating alone-- no kids-- and they couldn't give me a seat while I looked at three paired and or individual settings open... and I was there before other marmot jacket wearing folks had arrived... and the potatoes were undercooked. read more

Always packed...but worth the wait so don't let a line deter you. Quaint mill town has lots to offer

I have a favorite sandwich, the Cali but today I deviated and had steak tacos! YUMMMO. These are absolutely terrific. I will be ordering them again for sure read more

Just a great little place! Food, atmosphere and the employees! At the Big Bean Breakfast read more

The Big Bean Cafe - Very good. Pic tells all! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Newmarket, New Hampshire

Hometown cooking with uptown quality and goodness. This place is a well known local spot that everyone you talk to raves about. The food is amazing and the service is impeccable. I keep going back and have yet to find anything that wasn't delicious. Enjoy, Frank read more