Big Easy Saloon, Paoli
The Big Easy closed in October 2010.
Quick Take: We haven’t had a formal dinner at The Big Easy, but have stopped in a few times for drinks and a little food. It’s a New Orleans theme with creole cuisine, a nice beer & wine selection and un-intrusive (from our experience) live music. We did have the opportunity to try the Andouille Meatloaf, which is easily the best meatloaf we’ve ever had. Reports on the service have been spotty, especially when the joint is hoppin’, which is quite common on the weekends.
Feel free to view reader comments or add your own review.
December 30, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
more info here:
http://chi17.stablehost.com/~undiscov/mainlinedine/rest/big-easy-saloon-in-paoli-is-open.html
January 6, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
We must say this by far is the BEST restaurant that we have been to in Chester County in a long long time. The food is to die for, the atmosphere is so New Orleans, the Owner is very hospitable, and never have had a bad experience. People we talk to can’t say enough about this wonderful resuaurant,finally that has come to Chester County.
Thank you
January 19, 2007 @ 5:45 am
Ditto the above remarks. The Shrimp Bourbon is out of this world.
January 27, 2007 @ 7:48 am
The food was excellent, it was packed, and we had a great time besides some bad service… that was, until the end of the night.
I dont know how they do things in New Orleans, but I can bet they dont make excuses for bad service, then continue to guilt a party into more of a tip. This is what exactly happened at this place, and I will NEVER go there again, nor will anyone either of us work with, because we will do everything in our power to keep people away from such a horribly unethical wait staff.
Service was slow, things were rushed and things were forgotten. I grew up thinking a tip was judged on quality of service, and I often tip 20%. When service is poor or bad, I tip lower. Now I dont know the role the waiter played in this, but the girl behind the bar then came out after our bill was taken and started asking us how the service was, and continued to tell us story upon story how someone called out, they had to pull someone off the floor, etc. Excuses, plain and simple. When i make excuses at my job, no one cares, and i get in trouble. She left, then came back 2 minutes later, saying how typically they get higher tips, and that our tip was too low, they have to tip the bartenders, etc! It was the most inappropriate I have felt at a restaurant ever.
Its a shame, really, because the food was simply excellent, the place looks like a great place, people were dancing, good music, but I will never go back again.
January 28, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
We have been there 4 times and I would have to agree with the review saying the service was horrible but the food is great. The last two time we have been there we have had problems with the wait to be seated.
Once the hostess told us a 45 minute wait we then waited almost two hours and she came back and said the owner gave our table to his friends.
The next time they said a 45 minute wait so we waited right next to the hostess station and an hour later i went up to check how much longer. She then said we were already seated??? she had crossed us off as seated because i must not have heard her call my name — she asked me my name twice while we standing next to her.
The waiter was extremely slow. They will also sit the maximum number of people at a pretty small table– that has happened 3 out of the 4 times we were there.
I was annoyed too because two ladys were complaining about the wait and the one said ‘dont worry about it i know the owner he’ll get us a table’.
Food is great and its a nice place but the service is so bad.
February 6, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Other than the fact that the service was extremely slow, I would totally recommend this place. The food was excellent and we were seated very quickly considering it was a weekend evening.
We did wait about a hour for sandwiches which is a bit crazy!
February 7, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
This place was the worst excuse for cajun food ever…The food stunk and the sevice was even worse…Seems like the cook here really knows how to f things up, and for the sevice I really don’t have any words to describe how bad it really was..I just wanted to try this place out instead of the High Street Cafe in West Chester..But let me tell you High Street Cafe hands Down was the best all around. The Best Cajun food around and wait staff well what can I say but great things about them…
February 9, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
My friend and I very recently ate at this restaurant for the first time and had a fantastic time!! We only waited about 5 – 10 mins. for a table (it was a weeknight at about 6:30pm). The food was really fabulous! Everything I had was to die for. The menu is incredible! The service was great, we had several people who took care of our table and everything came in a timely fashion. The only mistake was that they brought the wrong side order for my friend, but it was quickly corrected. We loved the band that was playing as well. I’m sorry to hear other people did not have as great an expereince, because we loved it and would certainly go back!!
February 11, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
THIS IS THE BEST PLACE,SOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER THEN HIGH STREET
THE PEOPLE ARE WONDERFUL THE SERVICE WAS OUTSTANDING AND THE FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE.I AM SORRY THE OTHER PEOPLE WROTE SUCH BAD THINGS BECAUSE I AM FROM LOUISIANA AND YOU CAN NOT GET ANY BETTER THEN THIS. MY COMPLEMENTS TO THE CHEF!!!YOUR DOING A GREAT JOB DON’T LISTEN TO THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS THEY PROBLEY DON’T KNOW THEIR CUISINE.
February 12, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
The resturant is amazing. Anyone who is a foodie must give this fresh place a try. The staff was good and very friendly. The food is great. see ya soon big e.
February 12, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
Hello to all that have responded to this site:
I work for the Big Easy and have since the inception. I don’t work everynight, but an awful lot. First of all I would like to sincerely apologize for anyone that had service that was not up to par specifically Scott and Elayne Geba. That is certainly not our intention to give bad service. However if you had If you choose to write a negative comment, then let’s play fair. Call me and leave a message for me to return the call so that I may handle in a professional manner. If I cannot sort out the details such as what night or what server, as a manager it is difficult to correct the problem. Whereas we try to hire professional servers and are ultimately responsible for your dining experience, without the above detailed information I cannot solve the mystery. Our telephone number is 610-296-9166 and my name is Lisa. Thank you for your time.
February 15, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
This message is for J.F.. I am sorry for my comments, You must be the cook at the Big Easy..That is how I feel and I will never go the that place again..Very Over rated, and everybody I speak to says the same thing…As for High Street Cafe that place was voted the BEST CAJUN FOOD in Mainline Magazine and Has a very high rating in ZAGAT also, And not to mention they won Best of Philly Magazine around 5 years ago I think (that is how I found out about them) So to say I don’t know my cuisine well I guess Main Line Magazine and Zagats and Philly Mag ETC. are Don’t…NOT
February 15, 2007 @ 5:17 pm
I just returned from a dinner at the Big Easy, and I can say definitively that that was my first and last visit there.
To begin with, if you cannot stand cigarette smoke, STAY AWAY. I just spent over $100 having my hair done today, and after a very short dinner (90 minutes), it stinks of smoke. We asked for a non-smoking table, so they put us in the back, as far from the bar as possible, but it still stunk all throughout the meal.
Next, the motto of this restaurant appears to be “throw crabmeat on everything.” This wasn’t so good for me, since I am allergic to shellfish. Still, I wanted to be fair, so I scoured the menu and finally found something I could eat: the blackened catfish. It was described as blackened catfish (no other details) with sides of mashed potatoes and a “mach choux,” which was described by the waiter as “corn.” I pressed for details, and finally got him to agree that it was a corn relish of sorts.
The food arrived, and the fish was drizzled with a sauce. I asked what it was, and the server said, “Honey mustard.” I frowned and said, “Oh.” He said, “Oh, you’ll love it!” I said, “No I won’t — I don’t like mustard.” Then I looked at the corn relish and saw red cubes in it, so I asked the waiter if that was meat, because I do not eat red meat. He said, “No, it isn’t.” I said, “Are you sure? Because it _really_ looks like meat.” He said he was absolutely sure, that they don’t put meat in that dish. I said okay, but asked him to please check with the kitchen, just to satisfy my curiousity about what it _was_ (if not meat), between then and the next time he came back to our table.
He left, then came back VERY quickly, and apologized because it _was_ meat. He offered to replace it with vegetables for me, which was fine.
I realize that I have some food peculiarities that wouldn’t affect most people dining there, but I really dislike when they leave something pertinent out of the meal description, like the honey mustard sauce.
We had a baked brie appetizer that was okay, but it was drowning in honey, and all of us (generally neat people) were coated in honey by the end of the course. It remained on the table, and my velvet blazer’s cuffs were covered in it when I got home.
The catfish was fine — nothing to write home about, but fine. I get better blackened catfish at the Magnolia Cafe, the little cafe connected to the Chester County Book Company.
Other problems with the meal included bread as hard as rocks, butter that tasted like cake frosting (we did ask for regular butter, but the waiter never remembered to bring it — we had to ask a busboy to get it for us, and by then the meal was half over), and they didn’t seem to remove things from the table promptly enough (dishes from previous courses, dirty napkins we’d taken from under the water glasses to wipe our hands from the frosting butter, crumbs, etc.). Oh, and the waiter called us “honey,” “dear,” and “ladies,” and made a stupid sexist comment at the end of the meal that amounted to how proud he was that we “three ladies” all behaved ourselves. Ugh.
I guess that if you’re a heavy smoker, and you like crab on everything, and aren’t diabetic (sweetened butter, drowning the brie in honey), this place is great. Otherwise: STAY AWAY. Spend your money at Fellini’s in Berwyn, Anthony’s in Malvern, the Magnolia Cafe…anyplace but this dive!
February 16, 2007 @ 2:12 am
This will be my only Post about this place cause I will never go back again…This place is soooooooooooooooo bad, Food and service is like something out of a bad B movie..I would rather eat really bad food at Crawdaddy’s Cafe and get sick hours after the meal then go back to the Big Easy again….Please People if you want great food and service smoke free…here is a little advice from me..(EAT at HIGH STREET CAFE in West Chester) This place does it right…I saw someone else wrote about High Street also and I agree with them 100%…I live in Paoli and I will never go back to The Big Easy BAD FOOD/SERVICE PLACE AGAIN..Heres a THUMBS DOWN TO YA and a BIG BOOOOOOOOO
February 19, 2007 @ 8:42 am
I live in the neighborhood right next to the Big Easy and have watched Luigi’s, Arpeggio’s, and La Voce’s (the former restaurants in that location) come and go. None of them were successful and I believe that La Voce was open barely a year. The fact that The Big Easy’s parking lot is always packed and there are people parking up and down Paoli Pike to enjoy the atmosphere and food is testament to how good the restaurant is. It has been beautifully redone and the food is fabulous! I have been to New Orleans several times and the food is as close to authentic as possible, and truly delicious. If you’re a picky eater or just not willing to try new types of food, stay home. As for the wait, any restaurant that is not that big has a wait and I have never found myself to wait more than 15 minutes, even last weekend when I arrived without a reservation, with a party of 12. If you have issues with smoke, don’t go to a restaurant that allows smoking. It’s that simple. There are just as many smokers as non- smokers out there. I, myself, am not a smoker, but have requested to sit in the dining room, and smoke is not an issue there. As for the service, the servers that I have had so far are all very friendly, welcoming, and accomodating. If you want authority on the matter, they are rated well by the Mainline Magazine. Don’t listen to the nitpickers and the close minded, the Big Easy deserves two thumbs up!
February 22, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Well, I happen to disagree with some people with this topic of the Big Easy being good. I had a really bad experience with this place and I will not be returning…The service was not up to par and either was the food, The blackened Chicken was very dry, my guest had the Tuna that was over cooked, came out well instead of rare, and another had a pasta dish with seafood that was over seasoned and drowned with whatever sauce it was, I could not tell what it was…This place in my mind does deserve 2 thumbs down..Also I couldn’t find what Joan was talking about the rating in Main Line Magazine..I couldn’t find 1 on this place..
March 7, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Bad service, comically bad food. It was like TGI Friday’s ideal of Cajun food. The maître d’ was more interested in talking to the women at the bar than fixing any problems.
March 24, 2007 @ 7:11 am
I had read all of the reviews prior to my visit to the Big Easy and all were passionate one way or another. Hopefully my review not be so passionate, but objective as that is my intent. On Thursday, March 22, 2007, four of us met at the Big Easy for dinner. I was early and had a drink at the bar (approx. 6:30PM). The bar was quite packed and there seemed to be a number of locals, which makes it fun. It was not overly smokey. When the rest of the party joined at just about 7, we were promptly seated… no wait. Our male waiter with finely chisseled hair was quick to our table and very pleasant. We opted for more time to order. That ended up being a mistake as it was a while before he came back. He explained that he was having difficulty with another table hence the delay. We laughed about it with him. We were generally pleased with our apps. The crab does not add anything to the cheez wiz fries though. The blackened scallops could have used some more blackening spice. The app portions were good and we could have settled on apps for dinner. Our dinner was brought out by different people and our apps had not been cleared yet. A minor, but important step that should have been taken care of. Having read reviews prior to my visit I played it safe by ordering a blackened chix sandwich with the mustard on the side. It came out on my sandwich. I had enough of that sauce with the scallops. Anywho, the chix was the thinnest I have seen (the thickness of cardboard). My disappointment was limited though to about a $9 item. Now for everyone elses entrees: the 3 filets with 3 different sauces that were supposed to be med. rare had no pink at all. The mushroom sauce didn’t have any mushrooms, but the sauces were tasty. Since it was filet it was still tender. Pricey dish though so should have been cooked right. The waiter offered to fix, we declined. No sense waiting. The blackened tuna was cooked perfectly, but lacking in flavor (like the scallop app). Mildly priced. The mixed seafood risotto special was horrible as if the seafood was old. Our waiter offered us a free dessert, the best he could do and assured us all seafood was fresh. The seafood special was close to $30. Yikes for it being so “fishy” even the lobster. The wrong free dessert came out, but it was promptly remedied which was all by another server. All in all, we would try the place again, but we won’t be in a rush to head back.
March 26, 2007 @ 10:29 am
My wife and I stopped in at The Big Easy at 9 pm on Friday night, March 9th. The crowd had thinned a bit and I got a parking spot in the parking lot!
We didn’t have resos but were seated promptly.
The busgirl brought us water, then bread and the delicious butter. Unfortunately the tablke did not have any silverware. I couldn’t find the busgirl to ask for silverware for 5 minutes. She nodded and headed off, never to return. The waitress ackowledged our existence 5 minutes later. I explained my silverware dilemma and she remedied it.
Glasses of wine were ordered from the limited wine list.
I had the Voodoo Shrimp, delicious and hot as expected. The habeneros were not as hot as I like but that is a seasonal problem. A peeve I have is shrimp with tail shells still attached in a sauce. I had to pull each shrimp out, deshell it, and put the shell aside. It is a inconvenient and takes away from the dish.
I had the Filet with 3 sauces and was unimpressed by the sauces. they lacked any discerning flavor.
My wife had a fish dish which was lackluster. The sauce smothered the fish but neither was flavorful.
I have enjoyed Dan’s work over the years.
The staff needs A LOT of work. After the runner dropped our food, asking who had what (Are all traditions lost in restaurants? Serve from the left, serve women first, know who had what at a duece, clear from the right, don’t clear until everyone is done, ect), we were unable to raise a member of the wait staff until dinner was over. I would have liked another glass of wine with dinner but was unable to order the $8 glass.
The music was enjoyable.
Not sure when I will go back.
March 27, 2007 @ 8:39 am
I am writing in response to the recent comments regarding the Big Easy Saloon and the review by Main Line Magazine. As the food editor for Main Line Today Magazine, I would like to correct the confusion and state that the recent review can be found in Main Line TODAY Magazine’s April issue, not MainLine Magazine. As a side note, keep up with the comments and the reviews—I learn a lot from this website!
March 29, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
Hi Dawn Warden,
Not to change the subject but I would like to know when you will be giving The High Street Cafe a review? This place has been around for awhile, I think 10 years and has great Cajun-Creole food and the service is also wonderful..In my mind they put West Chester on the map for dining out…
I gave Big Easy a try and I must say I will never go back. The food was not good at all and the service well just read the other reviews…
April 2, 2007 @ 11:33 am
We have actually written about High Street in other formats before as it is one of our faves as well. However, I will consider it because I agree with you on it being the frontrunner of West Chester’s now more established dining scene. If not a full review, then certainly a revisit. Thanks!
April 2, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
As a neighbor of the Big Easy–I would like to note a few things right off the bat.
I have been there on 4 occassions–three times to dine and once for a late night visit with some friends from out of town.
Great food, i will admit the servers leave a little to be desired–i think you need more staff on the floor-GREAT bartenders ( Hi Julie–U rock…) and an amazing menu.
Keep on with what your doing….
Making the switch to NO SMOKING would be awesome!!!!!!
April 7, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
Just finished dinner at the Big Easy. Food was very good as noted in previous reviews. We went at 6:30 on a Saturday night. Dining room was about half full when we arrived. Water was filled as we were seated. Waiter arrived within 2 minutes for drink orders. Drinks took only a couple of minutes, salads came within a couple of minutes of being ordered. Room was a bit cool, so they turned up the heat for us. Waiter checked on us half a dozen times. Manager stopped by to check on things. Water glasses were refilled 3 times during the meal without asking. By 7:30 the room was packed and service continued to be good. All in all, a very pleasant outing. Much different that the earlier reviews had led us to expect. We will absolutely go again.
April 10, 2007 @ 10:57 pm
I have eaten at the Big Easy a few times an I’m very surprised by all the negative comments. As far as I am concerned the food is very good. I have only had very knowledgable & helpful waiters and bartenders. I have spent time at the bar and at tables and although the bartenders are wonderful I think everyone is going way too hard on the service. I can’t say I have any complaints except for a little wait on saturday night. I love the fun drinks the bartenders will come up with if asked and the food has always been enjoyed by everyone I brought there. The music is great, except I am not too fond of Wednesdays, and they have an area for dancing. I couldn’t ask for a better restaurant in the area. It seems only the miserable, complainers write on this site. Thanks Big Easy
April 15, 2007 @ 11:40 am
Well I have to say anybody that rights a good review about this place must either work their or know the owners/cook. This place is the worst place I have ever eaten at ever, and I go out to eat all the time in Chester County etc. The food was worse then Burger King and the service, Well I thought I was in a Diner, What a joke, I will be amazed if this place lasts longer then 2 years.
I do agree with Dawn though, High Street cafe rules for Cajun Creole food. Their food is the Best around and their service is great also. Keep up the Great work High Street Cafe.
April 16, 2007 @ 7:08 am
I recently ate at the Big Easy on a Saturday evening, and I had a wonderful meal. The menu is so inventive, the atmosphere is festive, and I can’t wait to go back to try something else. I have been to New Orleans many times, and this is authentic–and I do not work there!
As for the wait, it happens in all good restaurants. Sit back, have a drink and relax.
April 21, 2007 @ 5:59 pm
I only stopped in for a drink and listened to the band on a Saturday night. I was impressed with the layout and design.
The beer taps were nice, hopefully more local micros will be on tap.
The only negative was the patrons blocking the lane to the exit while trying to leave who could care less to move even when you say ‘excuse me’. Bear that in mind when reading the bad reviews. Relax people. This place is a nice spot.
April 25, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
The Big Easy saloon in my mind was NOT worth the trip for food. The drinks were ok and the band was even better, but the food was not really good at all. Everything was very under seasoned, not fresh, everything tasted old etc..I know People think Cajun-Creole food is spicy hot, but its not!! (that’s not what Cajun-Creole food is about), I know I am from New Orleans, but I would think a Cajun-Creole place would have dishes that were very flavorful, but this place didn’t. I am not sorry for this review. I am just being honest..
PS..I was very Relaxed, but the food wasn’t good at all.
May 3, 2007 @ 5:09 am
After reading the reviews posted, I was very nervous about going to Big Easy Saloon. We did ask to move to a different table, due to a draft and because we were seated between the bar and the band area. Service was a little slow, and one of our group did not receive the soup she ordered, but we will go back. I can say that all 4 of us really enjoyed our meals, drinks, etc.
May 12, 2007 @ 4:00 am
Sometimes web forums like this come off pretty negative because the people who had a bad experience are most motivated to speak up. Fortunately we had a great meal last night, good food comparable to High Street. The steak & shrimp scampi was reportedly a bit bland, but the seafood jambalaya and lobster ravioli were both excellent. Prompt courteous service. They’ve recently started taking reservations and ours was honored instantly. Smoky, yes, and parking was interesting, but we’ll be back. A lot, I hope.
May 23, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
I have been to the Big Easy on 2 different nights, I must say the food wasn’t good and either was the service. I will not be going back…As far as this place being comparable to the High Street Cafe Its NOT at all.. High Street Cafe serves great food and their service is great also, High Street has always been very consistent each time I have gone there..Please don’t compare The big easy to High Street Cafe, It would give High Street Cafe a bad name..
May 24, 2007 @ 9:45 am
I just got back from a weekend in New Orleans, so I was hesitant to visit a Cajun restaurant in Paoli. This was my first visit (lunchtime), and I had the crawfish bisque and andouille meatloaf sandwich. The bisque was very good. I think a nice touch would be to add a couple of crawfish tails to add to the presentation.
The andouille meatloaf was excellent. I would definitely order it again. Others in my party enjoyed the po boys.
I think offering a typical cheesesteak sandwich is a waste. I may go back to try the Cajun cheesesteak.
The only thing I was disappointed in was after a tray of iced tea was spilled on two people in our party, there was no offer of a free appetizer or to pay for dry cleaning. They were very apologetic, but I thought the manager could’ve offered them something to make up for the inconvenience.
May 24, 2007 @ 9:53 am
I forgot to mention another suggestion I had for the ownership. Why not play jazz music? I thought it was strange to hear Kool and the Gang and Paula Abdul during lunch.
July 8, 2007 @ 7:34 pm
Yes, they are a Main Line Business in “Good Standing”, and on top of that, they were recently awarded with the “Best of the Main Line Reader’s Choice Award” of July. They were also featured in Chester County Life and Main Line Today magazines, which included fantastic reviews. So maybe next time you should try to look a little harder Donna..
July 24, 2007 @ 11:16 am
Hi Joan, I can see what Donna was saying, at the time the big easy was not in any magazines etc. back in February. LOL, I know some resturants even pay to be in the magazines etc. or hire PR peolpe…
I have to say that I just tried the big e and I was dissapointed about the food quality. the drinks and the band where really good, but the smoking has to go,and the food has to get better in taste and quality. I dont think I will be back for the food but maybe the drinks and the band, IF THEY GO NON SMOKING!!
August 6, 2007 @ 10:26 am
food very good – fun atmosphere – nice people
service has gotten better
they need better ventilation or ban smoking – my arm candy is sensitive to smoke and even the no smoking area gets smokey
not good for kids or those sensitive to 2nd hand smoke
August 6, 2007 @ 10:30 am
in case the owners read this – perhaps allow smoking only after 9 – that way we can get in and out with the kids (or my wife) before the smoke!
we’d be there much more!
August 8, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
If you don’t like smoke…don’t go. While the smoking is limited to the bar and draws a large crowd, it will be the death of this place.
August 26, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Just got back from dinner there tonight. We went early due to work schedules and did not have to fight a crowd. I drive by all the time and see this place is packed. We were seated promptly. Fresh bread with honey butter and water were served promptly. We had a very cordial waitress. We had the craw fish and baked brie as appetizers. Baked brie with honey and rasberries was very good. The crawfish boil was a little overpowering but still good. For dinner we had the pistachio encrusted chicken in crab sauce with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed veggies and the homemade gnocchi with sausage in a vodka sauce. The chicken with crab sauce was excellent- very crabby tasting sauce which I like and liked the sides as well. My husband’s gnocchi was good but he said the sauce was more like marinara than vodka cream. He did enjoy that the gnocchi were homemade. No room for dessert. Overall we had a very good experience and will be returning. The dinners and appetizer portions were generous. The service was good. If you like froo froo dining then this place is not for you. This is comfort food. And , we are smokers so, a place where smoking is still allowed is alright with us. I enjoyed the mix of music they played too. We rarely get to go out so if the experience is bad it is very disappointing. This was not! We will be back.
September 15, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
I’ve eaten at this place a few times — never my choice, I was stuck meeting people there — and I think it’s just awful. The food is mediocre at best, cannot be said to be authentic by any stretch of the imagination, and the service is very spotty. Add that to the fact that you cannot even breathe in this place because it’s so smokey, no matter WHERE they seat you, and that makes it a “must-avoid” choice for me.
Incidentally, I don’t know where the moderators are on this board, but I think it’s really rude that some of you posters have to opine that bad reviews are only written by “miserable complainers” (thanks, Sheri), or people who apparently are so anal-retentive that they are unable to relax during dinner (thanks, Samantha and Eric). That’s pretty harsh — how about if those of us who _don’t_ like this place said that only people with no taste or refinement like this restaurant? Keep it impersonal, people — passing comment on the reviewer because you don’t agree with the review is an ad hominem attack, and really bad netiquette.
September 17, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
Ashley you could not have said it any Better..The big Easy is really not the place to go, The food is bad and also the air..Its really a match made in H_ll..If you want great Cajun Creole food with Clean Air and great specials goto the HIGH STREET CAFE in West Chester its non smoking and they offer great drinks and wide array of Beers and Wines…
November 10, 2007 @ 2:48 pm
Horrible place. I can’t imagine anyone going there for an evening meal. Loud, smoke-filled and the “gentleman” seating guests is rude and uncaring.
Service was terrible. Food only OK. This is a case of a restaurant becoming too popular and not caring about how they treat diners.
It has obviously become the latest spot for the forty and divorced crowd.
Go to one of the many, many other great restaurants in the area. You will be happy you did.
December 3, 2007 @ 2:41 am
This used to be a wonderful place to go on the Main Line for fantastic musical entertainment (very enjoyable open mic night) and over-all nice atmosphere. The food is so-so, but I was willing to overlook that for the entertainment aspect of the place. Since its opening, the crowd going to the Big Easy has become increasingly more difficult to handle. From sleazy old men to bored over-fifty single women, everyone at the bar goes to drink, get drunk and stay until they get thrown out. This was, yet again, something I was wiling to overlook. However, after a drunk older woman verbally assaulted me and my girlfriend, I will most definitely not be returning to this place. Ever. I do not go out to dinner to get personally affronted by out-of-control winos. If I wanted to experience that, I would just hang around Market East train station. What I would particularly like to know is why the management did not more carefully oversee the bar area and perhaps limit the amount of drinks certain regulars consume. It seems the Big Easy is more concerned with garnering profit from the amount of drinks consumed than the wellbeing of its customers and ultimately, the comfort level of everyone else. The Big Easy has lost at least one customer to this sleazy bar scene, and if it wants to maintain a clientele that is not entirely comprised of out-of-control drunks, I suggest that it more carefully oversee the amount of drinks consumed by individuals at the bar.
January 17, 2008 @ 6:53 am
Well I disagree with the most of the comments listed. We went to dinner there last night with 22 people. The food was outstanding, the service was outstanding and believe it or not we could not smell the smoke in the back room. I would recommend this place to anyone, even if you had a large crowd. The food all came out at the same time and everyone really enjoyed themselves. The staff was excellent and very professional. Seems like most of the reviews here come from employees from other restaurants.
February 7, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Hi Greg It looks to me you must be an employee of the BE, LOL really I have never heard any good things about that place, for 1 I eat all over Chester County and there alot of better places to eat then this place, The food was bad at best but the drinks were ok, eating at the BE is like eating out of an ashtray very smokey, and bad for your health!!…
PS I don’t work in the restaurant business…
February 24, 2008 @ 9:58 am
OK, for the sake of clarity, here is the real story on Big Easy…
While service had been an issue in the past as their managers were more interested in being friends with the staff than doing their job, things have changed. The GM there has fine dining experience from several well known restaurants, he is “re-training” the staff. The staff needs work and is getting better, but I eat out all of the time and have had serious mis-steps in service at nearly every restaurant in Chester County and Philly, including many Leban 3 bell winners. One early review that I read here mentioned a server requesting a bigger tip and that is shameful. That person should have demanded to see an owner on the spot! I would have flipped out!
While I am an all my life non-smoker, when I have eaten there I have made the decision to eat in the dining room away from the smokers in the bar. I have stayed at the bar for cocktails but would most likely not have dinner at the bar because of the smoke.
I think that the food at Big Easy is very good and on par for what you should and would expect there. I HAVE NEVER had anything that wasn’t enjoyable, but this isn’t haut-cuisine either. I do think that the menu is a bit overwhelming. I have eaten at High Street too, these places are on par with one another with one big exception, PARKING.
Lastly, when things go wrong with food or service, talk to a manager, get satisfaction. Many things go on that they don’t catch at restaurants, let someone know, that way they can have the opportunity to correct the issue. If you get no satisfaction, then it’s easy, vote with your feet and go elsewhere.
March 16, 2008 @ 11:07 am
Here’s the straight scoop on the Big Easy:
Parking was easy, maybe because we arrived at 7pm on Saturday night.
We got seated right away by a pleasant hostess.
Atmosphere was homey and casual.
Food was delicious and a great value.
Wine selection oridinary but solid.
Deserts- Bananas Foster was an imposter! It was actually cold sliced bananas (cereal style) coated with cold butterscotch sauce out of a jar, and a scoop of ice cream.
However, the bread pudding was really good. I was disappointed they were out of pecan pie.
Service: rushed, scarce. Felt a little diner-like.
Live music was good and not overly intrusive.
Bar: Great bartender; friendly, fun crowd; we got lucky because the bar had very few smokers.
We will definately go there again for the food and with the understanding that the service leaves a little to be desired. All in all, we had an enjoyable experience at the Big Easy.
March 29, 2008 @ 8:58 am
OK now here is the real scoop of the Big Easy:
Bar was good for drinks, but the smoke was Bad Bad Bad for my lungs
Service was bad and very slow
The food, well lets just say I would not give it to my cat or Dog..
The good thing with the Big Easy though is it does have alot of Parking..
I have to say that I will not be going back, I am glad some of you out there had a good experience though..I personally won’t be speding my money or time at this place again
August 17, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Went to the Big Easy to hear a friend of a friends band…after reading these reviews, was quite leary about eating there. Wsa pleasantly surprised to thoroughly enjoy the food we ordered (the band was awesome too, not too intrusive) Service however was such a joke!! After many shared appetizers, we declined the offer of dessert, but after about a 1/2 hour of listening to the band, we decided to split 2 desserts between the six of us…well the waitress felt the need to point out that we had declined dessert and were we sure we wanted it now!!! Was not the first sign of hautiness and disdain this waitress had for our table!! Her attitude was actually laughable and her tip was reflected in her poor service. Food is not haute cuisine but was quite enjoyable and I liked it better than High Street Cafe, thats the place that crams you in and hurries you out. PLUS A $10 CORKAGE FEE, OUTRAGEOUS!!! Prices are 1/2 at Big Easy with far better portions…not all dishes hit the mark, but enough did to make us return. Not at all smoky the night we went, and I’m the worst reformed smoker out there, I HATE smoke!!!
September 4, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
Three of us went tuesday night, some older guys jamming and sharing good talent. Waitress was super, friendly, quirky, and attentive. Took my entre home because the appetizer was so big. All dishes prepared well. Great find out here in “close at 9:00pm land”, I think they have live music of some sort @ night.
September 15, 2008 @ 6:41 am
Will not go back. We were rushed to get an order in and when we said we weren’t sure what we wanted, then we didn’t see a waitress for 20 minutes. Two of our appetizers were wrong, and they brought our entrees before we even finished our appetizers. They didn’t even clear off plates to make room. Before we even got the check or our coffee, the hostess asked us to leave the restaurant because they had reservations stacked up and needed the table! I understand this was all because of a certain band playing there that night who packs in the bar patrons. Unacceptable. Think about it … usually the dinner patrons spend more money.
October 12, 2008 @ 2:00 am
With the exception of the live music, I found the Big Easy to be a poor experience. As mentioned above, the service was lame. But the biggest letdown were the five forgettable dishes that my party had featuring what appeared to be their standard, 2lbs. of rice foundation for burying the half dozen pieces of meat/shellfish. Honestly, I felt as if they were shamelessly ripping us off. I won’t go there again.
October 30, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
Well I have to say I have read the other remarks about the big easy and I have to agree with most, the food is really not up to par, the music is good but thats about all I can say positive about this place, I do have to disagree with suzanne about High Street Caffe in west chester, That place is always busy at lunch and dinner, the food is always consistant and great tasting, the corkage fee, I think is Fare for a place that has a liquor license they still let people bring there own wine, that is kind of unheard of these days. Good luck Big Easy-I heard they are up for sale is that TRUE?
June 21, 2009 @ 11:56 am
The Big Easy Saloon has a very creative menu and great nightly specials. When I was there I had an awesome Jambalaya salad and there world famous NOLA fries. The all u can eat prime rib on mondays is a great deal as well, only 15.99.It seems like The Paddock in Wayne tried to copy alot of what the Big Easy is known for,be original please that place is average at best. I reccommend this spot to anyone visiting the area or just out for a good dining experience. The staff is friendly and attentive. Try The Big Easy its awesome.
April 12, 2010 @ 7:07 pm
Great place, too bad they have lousy neighbors that whined about the live music.
Too many great things on the menu , I love that problem. Great place.
November 4, 2010 @ 12:47 pm
The BEST place I have ever eaten is sadly closed. I had dinner there more than any other place in the world except my own home. They will be greatly missed!