Big Daddy’s Cafe

I ordered the lunch special and they charged and gave me a full dinner. I asked for collard greens and dressing, she thought I said greens and macaroni and cheese. This was my first time and I won’t be back AND I hope you won’t either. Food was not good at all

There is NO way I can let my most recent review of Big Daddy’s go without a review
I went this past Sunday and the one before that. I went with fellas after church the first time. This past Sunday I brought a crowd of 15 people. And 14 out of the 15 loved it.
For both visits I had the fried chicken wings with the cabbage and candied yams. Absolutely heavenly. The first Sunday we went right as they opened so the service was sweet and pleasant. This past Sunday we went an hour after opening (1pm) And the service was less sweet, but not bad. The food came out quickly and it did not disappoint.
The restaurant is pay first, then take a seat in their dining area in the back of the restaurant down a narrow hallway. And one of the ladies will bring you your food, so remember what you ordered. The restaurant is in the old Cascade Heights shopping plaza so there is not much to look at as far as scenery goes. But anyone who is familiar with Cascade Heights know that the true beauty is in the backstreets (Venetian Dr, Boulevard Lorraine, Boulevard Granada… etc)
Anyway, if you are looking for great soul food try Big Daddy’s. Its literally across the street on the same side from The Beautiful, but to be honest, Big Daddy’s blows The Beautiful out of the water!

Yes, we ate, but this review is about our service. As it was our first visit (at the recommendation of a local resident), we were ill prepared for the protocol. Generally, guests stand in line, order, and prepay for their meals, but we grabbed a seat upon arrival and used our naïveté as a bargaining chip for table service. Jenny, our server graciously accommodated us with menus, recommendations, and of course our meal plus beverages. She was prompt, friendly, and attentive. So if you plan to partake in a southern style meal do yourself a favor and go on a Sunday night, maybe you’ll get the same top-​grade professionalism we experienced.

Extremely happy with service and meal. The pork rib tips were delicious and savory. The greens were pretty good as well.
I was served in under 10 minutes and greeted very warmly. The server also offered information on the most popular dishes as well.

A relative recommended this shop for some good soul food, she did not disappoint me. I will say that it’s not «knock your socks off» good but it is satisfying. The atmosphere is cozy, with a small dining area with a homey diner feel. The service was good. We were not aware that we had to order first before being seated so that would be something that they should get some signage on. The fish was good, the breading was the perfect thickness. The greens and mac & cheese are seasoned well, but the wings were blah. I would recommend this location. If I’m back in the are I’d try other items… I’m curious to try the sweet potatoes.

First Sunday, and I took my 80+ mother there after church for dinner. The staff was the saving grace; they were wonderful, the food was horrible!
My mom ordered the curry chicken, collards and Mac & cheese. I got the brown stewed chicken, Mac & cheese and rice and peas.
I don’t even know where to start but I seriously wonder why people go back and there are such long lines. Maybe they’re mostly transplants because there’s no way this food would pass at any of our family tables. Dry, tasteless, sour and visually unappealing.
Very, very disappointed. What’s funny is that when speaking of our experience with others on the rest of our Sunday errands, every single person; family and stranger, said they’ve been and will never go again.

Nestled between a lawnmower repair shop and a dance studio is one of Atlanta’s soul food havens.
I’ve been here numerous times over the years but my last visit was unintended. The line at the soul food restaurant on the next block zigzagged across the front and stretched almost out the door. I wasn’t up for it but had a taste for soul food… so we made the hop, skip and jump over to Big Daddy’s.
There were only a few customers at the front counter waiting to place orders. As they took seats on the park bench to wait for their food no doubt they took in the ambiance around them. Portraits of Muhammad Ali, President Obama, Malcolm X and others lined one wall. We opted to eat-​in so after placing our orders we travelled down a narrow hall to their booth seating.
A server brought our food out from the kitchen. On this visit I ordered the Brown Stew Chicken with Collard Greens and Mac & Cheese. My guy got Oxtails, Candied Yams and Collard Greens. The portions were large (almost spilling off the plate) and both meals came with a cornbread muffin. The chicken was tender, the collard greens were tangy, the cornbread was fluffy… everything was pretty good.
The one exception was the macaroni which was shockingly bad. Instead of being moist and cheesy, it tasted like they used more sour cream than the recipe called for. Waaaay too sour. Thankfully the server was nice enough to replace it with a side of Candied Yams.
Admittedly, Big Daddy’s isn’t my favorite soul food spot in town but the portions are filling and the food is flavorful. That’s about all you could ask on a soul food Sunday.

Very happy with my purchase today. Baked chicken and dressing and a veggie plate. Definitely going again. Atmosphere was fine.
Great place for Sunday dinner.
Will try the Decatur location next.

Okay soooo I tried to place out for the first time last night and was not too impressed. Don’t get me wrong, the food wasn’t horrible, it was the fried chicken that was a hot mess. It was greasy beyond greasy. When I picked the chicken up it looked like I covered my hands with baby oil by the time I put it back down. I know that fried food isn’t healthy in the first place but give me a break! The sides were decent. I ordered pinto beans, candied yams, and cornbread as my sides. The pintos lacked flavor. Yams were good though. I started to get some fish and now I wish I did. I might go back to try some dessert from this place but never again will I order the chicken!

What can I say. This place has never done me wrong. If you’re looking for ambiance and excellent customer service then go somewhere else. If you’re looking for good soul food that does not have pork saturated in every dish then you’ve found a keeper here.

Wanted lunch from this place because its «BLACK OWNED» in the neighborhood (the Hood) but since it discriminates against persons from the neighborhood (the Hood) that wear certain attire, I will not be eating here for lunch, breakfast or dinner, in my suit and tie. About to tell them too. There is a sign on the door that reads «NO HOODY!» #WSBTV #ATL #Atlanta Even if they were robbed in the pass, we are robbed everyday by people wearing suits and ties, but we are not posting signs that read «NO SUITS and/​or TIES». …, this is the very reason we don’t receive needed services in our communities, because «we are not covered by the right clothing». What if the high end stores would post signs and serve people only wearing suits and ties. Now, that would be wrong, right?

Well this is my first time in more than 6 years trying out this spot. I’m dining in and my immediate thought is even though it’s across town I might prefer to eat on the go. So I’m waiting in fresh Mac n cheese because the current pan is dried out add well as the dressing. Since the mac takes 15 mins I’m waiting on it but they are not cooking anymore but it’s currently 5:30 on Saturday evening. Anyway we ordered the Sat special of Turkey wings with rice for 7.99 with yams, curry chicken with rice, cabbage and green beans. So while sitting in the dining area, I was disgusted at the trash on the floor and tables were not clean, with plates of food just sitting there. They have a little tv in the corner of the room, that is so small and old school analog, that they should just remove it. Anyway food is here now. So the turkey wing is just ok, I could have done better if I slow cooked some in a crock pot. She said that she did not have a whole wing because it just falls off the bone. There were carrots that were not even cooked, I mean you could not put a fork through them. Not sure how they mix it in to appear that it has been baked with the wings but that is far from the truth. The mac and cheese is not better than buying Kraft or Velveeta in the box. There is a noticeable fake taste to it and I am pissed that I even wasted my time waiting on it. The yams are just ok, sweetened correctly but full of strings. Guess they don’t have time to try to peel them a little better. The green beans are just ok and seasoned decently, same with the curry chicken. I noticed about halfway through that there was someone’s hair on my vegetable!!! Wth meal time was over. There is no way I am staying or taking one more bite.
Overall this was a waste of my time, gas and even typing a review. They might need to stick to preparing Jamaican style food because they have no clue on soul food. I am born and raised from the peach state, so it is not alot of places left that can actually cook. Although I don’t knock anyone’s opinions but to say this place is good, great, authentic or the bomb (ish) would be soooooooooo far from the truth. The only thing that was actually good was the lemonade, but looking at the dining area, which had not been cleaned, I get ill thinking about how the kitchen might actually be kept. The prices here need to be lowered to equate to a special everyday because anything more than $ 6 – 7 is crazy. I saw the desserts that were barely a normal slice of cake, but none of it looked good enough to order. Overall I quickly remembered why I had not gone in all these years — this food is simply simple… nuff said

You never gonna go wrong with big daddys. I usually go take out, but there is a dining area in the back.

THIS PLACE GETS 5 STARS!!!
OMg do you know how hard it is to find places that sale BEEF BBQ ribs? Very hard, the line was very long & its so cramp inside.
The cashier is nice, she remember old time favorites and also make new comers feel welcome. I love when a place say check your food before leaving, that lets me know the company do care & is not about money. The dressing could be better but everything else was perfect. I hope they expand or make the place bigger.

Consistently great food. My partner and I eat here a few times out of the month. Big Daddy’s is definitely my favorite Soul Food takeout in Atlanta and worth the 20 minute drive each way from my part of town for this food. A nice Jamaican family ran business.
I have tried and loved there:
*Fried Chicken
*Ox tails and rice
*Turkey Wings
*Mac and Cheese
*Carrot Soufflé
*Collard Greens
*Sweet Potatos
*Dressing and gravy
*Sweet Corn
*Cornbread (BEST CORNBREAD EVER!)
*Carrot and Red Velvet Cake
This establishment does not cook or sell pork products.
Big Daddy’s prices are decent I never spent over $ 20 for both me and my partner. If you like soul food I GUARANTEE YOU that you will LOVE Big Daddy’s Café on Cascade Rd.

My husband used to eat lunch here and finally got around to taking me with him. The entrance is a Little confusing at first. You walk into a small room where they take your order. Just past that room, along the hallway, is the kitchen. There are a few windows for you to peer in to help make some selections. The dining room is in the back.
We tried the meatloaf, BBQ spare ribs, fried corn, carrot soufflé, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese. The meatloaf was juicy, but I didn’t like the tomato sauce on top. It was just too overpowering. Same can be said for the short ribs. There was BBQ just everywhere.
The sides were fantastic! Fried corn — I never enjoyed corn so much. The mashed potatoes were good enough to eat all day. Mac and cheese had a smoky flavor that I couldn’t put my finger on. Quite original. The carrot soufflé didn’t taste like carrot at all but more like sweet potato. I wondered if we got the right thing but didn’t bother asking because it was too good.
Finally, the corn bread. Now, I’ve heard my husband talk about this sweet corn bread for years. It definitely lived up to its reputation. In fact, I wish I had some right now.
Be warned, the food is heavy and can be greasy. My tummy was revolting the rest of the day.

Ive been going here for years, and just went recently and was disappointed. I hate that I didnt Unilocal this place before, but after spending $ 33 to feed my family of three and neither of us at our entire meal, it just saddens me, beacuse I’ve had some really great meals here.
I’ll give them a 3 star just based on past visits, but after this last visit, Im sure we were given old food. I ordered the ox tails and had more juice than anything and I could tell the dressing was old and had been re-​heated.
My son got the rib tips and didnt eat ¹⁄₁₀^th of the meal… and my daughter who hasnt met a meat loaf that she didnt like, didnt enjoy her meal either.
As I said, maybe we just went in on a bad day because if I had reviewed this place before they would have surely gotten a 4 star.
I should have gotten the fried chicken, becuase its one of the best I’ve had and I initally said thats what I was going to get, but went with the ox tails instead.
You can take your food to go and do that by ordering at the front cash register. If you want to eat in, go directly to the back and the wait staff will take your order. The lady that takes the «to-​go» orders is the sweetest person you can know in this place… she is always full of compliments and is so patient with those that just cant make up their minds.
If you do go… be sure to get dessert… cause those cakes are MOIST!!!
So disappointed that it wasnt tasty

Happened to stumble on this place because of the beauty of the Unilocal app. hurray! I ordered the fried whiting (they were sold out of fried chicken. which is supposed to be awesome) Mac & cheese-​which tasted oddly sweet, and the collards which I enjoyed although I like them a bit on the spicy side. The cornbread though was some of the best I’ve ever had. Not to mention my meal meat/​2 veggie sides/​drink/​2 desserts came out under $ 15, which was awesome! Don’t pass on the homemade sweet potato pie. Definitely worth stopping by if you are in the area. Along with typical southern soul food they also have «Island fare» (not sure which island) but things like curried chicken, and ox tails.

This weekend marked my 3^rd straight Sunday dinner at Big Daddy’s Café. I’ve been hooked since tasting the Sunday Special: baked chicken and dressing. I swear they put crack in that stuff. I am totally addicted. I haven’t tried anything other entrée but have had the collards, mac&cheese, yams, green beans. corn muffin and sweet tea/​lemonade (now called an uptown). I agree with the other posters, the mac&cheese will not blow your skirt up but that dressing? That dressing is what it’s all about! The yams and collards are tasty. Not the best that I’ve ever had but this is as close to Sunday dinner as I can get without hitting 75 N. I took my brother and he was a beleiver after taking one bite. Good stuff.
Oh and I had the Red Velvet Cake — the cake was moist but the cream cheese frosting was just so-​so. I’ll probably skip that next time. And yes, I’ll return!

After eating at Beautiful Restaurant, I managed to convince my wife to check out Big Daddy’s just ~200 feet away– because I didn’t get my fried chicken, darnit!
First impression: slightly dingy, shady? Definitely more of a take-​out kind of place, as most of the customers seemed to be ordering to-​go.
So I was able to get my fried chicken (we bought ½ chicken) — not bad, not bad. I must say the breast piece seemed a bit powdery for lack of a better word. The taste of the batter was good though it was a bit thick– and you could definitely taste the peanut oil used to fry the chicken. Score: 3.75
Collards– The flavor of these collards was as expected (in contrast to the collards I ate at Beautiful). Solid. Score: 4
Cheese, Broccoli and Rice casserole– Nothing that blows the tastebuds away, but a great balance of cheese and broccoli that flavors the rice. Good stuff. Score: 4.
I’m glad I don’t live close to these two restaurants– because I’d gain LOTS of weight.
One thing to remember before you leave with your food: Check to see whether you got everything you ordered– the cooks in the back… well, let’s just say that the lady who takes the orders doesn’t treat them as if they were the brightest bulbs in the lot… We checked our food, and found that we were only given the breast piece of our order of ½ chicken. We let the cashier lady know, and she scolded the guy like an elementary school teacher… poor guy. :(