I heard so many good things about Big Mama's Cafe and finally got around to going. Could not have been more disappointed. We got seated and placed our order. We each got coffee (which comes with free refills) and water (which should also get refilled). The coffee was hot we couldn't drink it without putting a few ice cubes in it. When our food came, mine was wrong. I ordered a combo with biscuits and gravy. Instead I got a combo with french toast - which isn't an option for the combo meal I ordered. I told the waitress that a mistake had been made. Instead of providing any customer service and immediately offering to fix the order, she told me I was wrong and talked down to me like a child reading the order notes - only to read the order I requested. She immediately walked away with my food without saying anything and came back a few minutes later to throw the plate down with the correct order down at the table and walked away. Never asked us if we needed anything else. We tried to get any passing waitress' attention but failed, so I walked to the counter to an unattended hot sauce and got it myself. We also tried to get anyone's attention for refills but failed. All four empty drinks could clearly be seen at the end of the table for anyone walking by the see. Lastly, when it came time to pay for the bill the woman at the counter refused to show any itemized bill until after you pay, so you can't fight any discrepancies until after they charged your card. They have the itemized bill already printed - they choose not to give it to you until after the fact. The lack of customer service and sketchiness around paying will never have me coming back.
valter DAnna
Good atmosphere food not so great
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Gemma Collins
Food and atmosphere was great. Waitresses seemed a little overwhelmed. Had to ask passing by waitresses for drink and condiments. But overall everything was great. May have been just a busy morning. Would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
becky
Went for lunch on a Friday. Catfish dry and crust very hard. Sides tasted like they were out of a packaged container from a grocery store. Waitress took our order and brought the food then disappeared!! 5 us ate and had different meals. All of us said we would never go back!! Waste of $$$$$94.00 !!!!!
AVCV Productions
This is an awesome little Dive in a bustling city filled with College Students and Alumni, it's nice to have a home cooked meal from a community oriented establishment! Thanks Big Mama for bringing it home!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aftab
Welcoming atmosphere
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michelle Eaklor
Not what I expected!!! My husband ,grand daughter and I went there for breakfast this morning and won't be back. Biscuits were barely cooked, gravy was only slightly warm, bacon cold and looked like it was sitting for awhile. My husband was never offered a refill on his coffee. We waited 20 minutes just sitting there waiting to see if someone would come by but they just looked at us and walked by. After that we got up, paid and left. Was a waste of $42. We will not be back. So disappointed especially with it being a family restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
lenora watkins
Excellent food. Good portions
Mandy Landry
The portions are huge and the waitress and host were so friendly and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Victor Maurer
Ate there on July 15th, 2025. Food was excellent, and more than I could eat! Had a breaded tenderloin sandwich and fries, the wife ate eggs and biscuit and gravy, was very happy with it all. Great Job!! This was our first time there and the next time we are back in Columbia around lunch we will be back!😋
Just happened to see this when we searched for food when we were leaving our hotel. So glad I did. Tremendous quality, portions and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Doc Logsdon
Great food served with a smile!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Steven Kluesner
Huge omelette! Excellent service! Seemed to be a local favorite!
Steve Swebilius
Good hot breakfast served quick. Was expensive everything added up quickly for 3 of us.
Travis
Overall a very good place to grab a bite to eat! My Mother needed someone to take her to a Doctor's appointment, and this place was nearby so we stopped in after for lunch. Service was absolutely outstanding! I saw waitresses addressing people as if they were long time friends, and everyone just seemed happy to be there. This was our first time there, but the overall vibe was really welcoming! She had the open faced roast beef sandwich, and the beef was very tender, well seasoned, and gravy was very good. I had the breaded tenderloin sandwich, and while it was good I would like to offer a little constructive criticism if I may on the sandwich. 1) please try to season the breading that is put on the tenderloin. Perhaps some had been added, but if so I literally couldn't taste it at all. I had to add quite a bit of salt, & pepper, just to make it taste like unseasonably pork. 2) Please allow at least some of the cooking oil to drain from the tenderloin once it comes out of the grease. It kinda looked like the Exxon Valdez had driven the ship over it. 🤣 3) If possible trim the tenderloin before breading it. There shouldn't be hunks of fat, & gristle, on a breaded tenderloin. The portions were absolutely massive, and the onion rings & fries were top tier! Overall I will happily eat there again, but I would probably not order the breaded tenderloin again because that is my go to order at cafes, but this one while absolutely massive in size, I would have gladly accepted a smaller portion for a better breaded tenderloin.
I heard so many good things about Big Mama's Cafe and finally got around to going. Could not have been more disappointed. We got seated and placed our order. We each got coffee (which comes with free refills) and water (which should also get refilled). The coffee was hot we couldn't drink it without putting a few ice cubes in it. When our food came, mine was wrong. I ordered a combo with biscuits and gravy. Instead I got a combo with french toast - which isn't an option for the combo meal I ordered. I told the waitress that a mistake had been made. Instead of providing any customer service and immediately offering to fix the order, she told me I was wrong and talked down to me like a child reading the order notes - only to read the order I requested. She immediately walked away with my food without saying anything and came back a few minutes later to throw the plate down with the correct order down at the table and walked away. Never asked us if we needed anything else. We tried to get any passing waitress' attention but failed, so I walked to the counter to an unattended hot sauce and got it myself. We also tried to get anyone's attention for refills but failed. All four empty drinks could clearly be seen at the end of the table for anyone walking by the see. Lastly, when it came time to pay for the bill the woman at the counter refused to show any itemized bill until after you pay, so you can't fight any discrepancies until after they charged your card. They have the itemized bill already printed - they choose not to give it to you until after the fact. The lack of customer service and sketchiness around paying will never have me coming back.
Good atmosphere food not so great
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Food and atmosphere was great. Waitresses seemed a little overwhelmed. Had to ask passing by waitresses for drink and condiments. But overall everything was great. May have been just a busy morning. Would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Went for lunch on a Friday. Catfish dry and crust very hard. Sides tasted like they were out of a packaged container from a grocery store. Waitress took our order and brought the food then disappeared!! 5 us ate and had different meals. All of us said we would never go back!! Waste of $$$$$94.00 !!!!!
This is an awesome little Dive in a bustling city filled with College Students and Alumni, it's nice to have a home cooked meal from a community oriented establishment! Thanks Big Mama for bringing it home!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Welcoming atmosphere
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Not what I expected!!! My husband ,grand daughter and I went there for breakfast this morning and won't be back. Biscuits were barely cooked, gravy was only slightly warm, bacon cold and looked like it was sitting for awhile. My husband was never offered a refill on his coffee. We waited 20 minutes just sitting there waiting to see if someone would come by but they just looked at us and walked by. After that we got up, paid and left. Was a waste of $42. We will not be back. So disappointed especially with it being a family restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Excellent food. Good portions
The portions are huge and the waitress and host were so friendly and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ate there on July 15th, 2025. Food was excellent, and more than I could eat! Had a breaded tenderloin sandwich and fries, the wife ate eggs and biscuit and gravy, was very happy with it all. Great Job!! This was our first time there and the next time we are back in Columbia around lunch we will be back!😋
Restaurantji Recommends
Just happened to see this when we searched for food when we were leaving our hotel. So glad I did. Tremendous quality, portions and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food served with a smile!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Huge omelette! Excellent service! Seemed to be a local favorite!
Good hot breakfast served quick. Was expensive everything added up quickly for 3 of us.
Overall a very good place to grab a bite to eat! My Mother needed someone to take her to a Doctor's appointment, and this place was nearby so we stopped in after for lunch. Service was absolutely outstanding! I saw waitresses addressing people as if they were long time friends, and everyone just seemed happy to be there. This was our first time there, but the overall vibe was really welcoming! She had the open faced roast beef sandwich, and the beef was very tender, well seasoned, and gravy was very good. I had the breaded tenderloin sandwich, and while it was good I would like to offer a little constructive criticism if I may on the sandwich. 1) please try to season the breading that is put on the tenderloin. Perhaps some had been added, but if so I literally couldn't taste it at all. I had to add quite a bit of salt, & pepper, just to make it taste like unseasonably pork. 2) Please allow at least some of the cooking oil to drain from the tenderloin once it comes out of the grease. It kinda looked like the Exxon Valdez had driven the ship over it. 🤣 3) If possible trim the tenderloin before breading it. There shouldn't be hunks of fat, & gristle, on a breaded tenderloin.
The portions were absolutely massive, and the onion rings & fries were top tier! Overall I will happily eat there again, but I would probably not order the breaded tenderloin again because that is my go to order at cafes, but this one while absolutely massive in size, I would have gladly accepted a smaller portion for a better breaded tenderloin.
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