An SW3 favourite for over twenty years, the Big Easy offers a real American diner experience that's worth trying, even if the food isn't always brilliant.

The Venue
Named after the famous town of New Orleans, the Big Easy manages to keep its buzzy American atmosphere, even though it's on the King’s road. It's the sort of place you'll either love or hate, though surely the fact that this place has proved so popular for over 20 years suggests it's doing something right - you’ll almost certainly have to book ahead on any given night. They have some pretty good special deals on different nights of the week, mainly all-you-can eat themed nights, such as all you can eat BBQ on Monday nights, which sounds like a pretty enticing invitation. The decor's a good fit too, making you feel like you're in a small town American diner that's replete with chequered table cloths, wood paneling and brightly-coloured memorabilia adorning the walls.

The Atmosphere
The Big Easy has got the American diner experience down to a T. The atmosphere is loud and bustling and it's a really fun place to be, even if the restaurant is quite small for the number of covers it holds and can get very noisy, making it almost impossible to communicate with each other - and the staff. Downstairs it’s a bit stuffy but you can enjoy live music every night of the week. The staff are friendly but they tend to rush you throughout the meal, especially at dinner when there is a time limit set so they can get those tables turned and new punters through the door.

The Food
Steaks and seafood dominate the wide ranging menu, and although it might be a bit of a struggle for vegetarians, meat lovers will find a bit of everything, served in hefty portions. Clearly, it's all about the BBQ ribs (as it should be), as well as the deep-fried shrimps so don’t expect anything too classy. The food is prepared well enough and comes in massive portions (although during the busiest nights the dishes lack in presentation somewhat), so you can rest assured that you won’t leave hungry. The lobster and margarita combo is always a winner, as is the fajita night on Wednesdays, both served at a fixed price of £14.95. Desserts are nothing memorable, so don't worry too much about saving room for these.


Cocktails are great, a frozen margarita is the perfect option to kick off a fun night out, and during happy hour they're half price too, which makes them incredibly good value. Milkshakes are, on the other hand, less than impressive - there's only a small choice and you can barely taste the rum in the only alcoholic versions on the list. There is a good selection of wines but they come at a premium price, starting at £16 for an average Nero d’Avola.

The Last Word
The Big Easy is a fun place for a night out, but the enjoyment is more in the uniqueness of its atmosphere than the quality of the food. If you're looking for comfort food in huge portions, and terrific cocktails with which to wash it all down, the Big Easy will just about do.

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