It isn’t a secret that I am a big fan of American food. If I could I would definitely go and work out there for a few years just to be surrounded by the food. I’d probably end up a few sizes bigger than I am right now (because I have no self control when it comes to food) so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise I can’t get a green card *smiles*
In recent years it seem the UK in general has joined me in American food appreciation with famous chains Five guys, Shake shack, Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co., Cinnabon and Dunkin Donut all showing up in recent years.
Another recent addition has been Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Lobstershack.
I headed over there with my girlfriends a month back and to be honest I wasn’t hugely impressed. I had heard really good things about it so was expecting a lot and was left disappointed.
I went to the one in Covent Gardens and this place is huge. With an upstairs and downstairs they easily have more than 200 hungry mouths to feed every night, which could explain a few of the issues. I have been told to go and try the one on Kings Road which I believe maybe the original so I won’t slam them completely...just yet.
When I went, I went with 8 girls and we got a huge variety of food, from the shrimp to the lobster, the smoked BBQ chicken, ribs and pulled pork. Other than the shrimp which got pretty rave reviews everything else was ok, not bad in any sense but not mind blowing either.
A friend and I shared the Taste-O-Rama! which is Pit-Smoked Bar.B.Q Chicken, Dry-Rubbed St Louis Pork Ribs and Carolina Pulled Pork, we did ask to add the Texas Brisket….but they forgot *sigh* It also comes with house made BBQ sauce, pit smoked beans and slaw. On top of that we shared a serve of the popcorn shrimp and a fresh baked honey cornbread muffin.
The best part was the shrimp by far which I wasn’t expecting. The ribs were probably the most disappointing as they didn’t have a lot of flavour and although it looks like there is a lot of meat, there really wasn’t. The chicken was good but nothing special. The pulled pork was the saviour of the dish. It was really tender and tasted good but there wasn't much of it. The sides were fine and the cornbread was interesting considering I'd never had it before. Overall it was good but not great.
Most of the other girls had the lobster. I didn’t get any rave reviews about it but also no negative comments.
I did have a freshly squeezed watermelon juice from the teetotallers selection and that was pretty good….but I guess its hard to mess up fruit juice.
Determined for this place to not be a bust, I went again with my cousin and his partner. We went to the Covent Gardens one again (probably a mistake) and although the experience was better it still didn’t make me want to put Big Easy on my regulars list.
This time we got their specialty sandwiches
I got the Bar.B.Q Brisket Sandwich - Premium Beef Slow-Smoked lightly slathered with BBQ Sauce, Piled High and topped with Sweet Pickle
Chris got the Bar.B.Q Pulled Pork Sandwich - Smoked Low and Slow, Hand Pulled and Piled High. Mixed with House Bar.B.Q Sauce, topped with house slaw.
and Ivan got the Big Easy Smokehouse Burger - Fresh-ground Chuck with Bar.B.Q Sauce,
Smoked Cheddar and Fried Onions, with Fries, ‘Slaw and House Pickles.
We also got a mac n cheese to share
Again it was good and tasty but nothing amazing and nothing I would particularly want to eat again. The only one thing that was a stand out was the dessert. We shared a pecan pie and was really good. I wonder if it was made on site or ordered in...
I have decided I will take my friends advice and give this place one last try but I will head to the one on Kings Road and see if this one, being the original can make me change my mind. I think I will go with lobster or shrimp next time. Ill blog about it when I've been and let you know the outcome, but in the mean time let me know your impressions in the comments.
There are three locations for you to check out
Covent Garden
12 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7NA
(my opinion – avoid this location)
Kings Road
332-334 Kings Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 5UR
And lastly there is one coming soon to Canary Wharf.
Fingers crossed its better for you than it has been for me.
In recent years it seem the UK in general has joined me in American food appreciation with famous chains Five guys, Shake shack, Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co., Cinnabon and Dunkin Donut all showing up in recent years.
Another recent addition has been Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Lobstershack.
I went to the one in Covent Gardens and this place is huge. With an upstairs and downstairs they easily have more than 200 hungry mouths to feed every night, which could explain a few of the issues. I have been told to go and try the one on Kings Road which I believe maybe the original so I won’t slam them completely...just yet.
When I went, I went with 8 girls and we got a huge variety of food, from the shrimp to the lobster, the smoked BBQ chicken, ribs and pulled pork. Other than the shrimp which got pretty rave reviews everything else was ok, not bad in any sense but not mind blowing either.
A friend and I shared the Taste-O-Rama! which is Pit-Smoked Bar.B.Q Chicken, Dry-Rubbed St Louis Pork Ribs and Carolina Pulled Pork, we did ask to add the Texas Brisket….but they forgot *sigh* It also comes with house made BBQ sauce, pit smoked beans and slaw. On top of that we shared a serve of the popcorn shrimp and a fresh baked honey cornbread muffin.
Most of the other girls had the lobster. I didn’t get any rave reviews about it but also no negative comments.
I did have a freshly squeezed watermelon juice from the teetotallers selection and that was pretty good….but I guess its hard to mess up fruit juice.
This time we got their specialty sandwiches
I got the Bar.B.Q Brisket Sandwich - Premium Beef Slow-Smoked lightly slathered with BBQ Sauce, Piled High and topped with Sweet Pickle
Chris got the Bar.B.Q Pulled Pork Sandwich - Smoked Low and Slow, Hand Pulled and Piled High. Mixed with House Bar.B.Q Sauce, topped with house slaw.
and Ivan got the Big Easy Smokehouse Burger - Fresh-ground Chuck with Bar.B.Q Sauce,
Smoked Cheddar and Fried Onions, with Fries, ‘Slaw and House Pickles.
We also got a mac n cheese to share
Again it was good and tasty but nothing amazing and nothing I would particularly want to eat again. The only one thing that was a stand out was the dessert. We shared a pecan pie and was really good. I wonder if it was made on site or ordered in...
I have decided I will take my friends advice and give this place one last try but I will head to the one on Kings Road and see if this one, being the original can make me change my mind. I think I will go with lobster or shrimp next time. Ill blog about it when I've been and let you know the outcome, but in the mean time let me know your impressions in the comments.
There are three locations for you to check out
Covent Garden
12 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7NA
(my opinion – avoid this location)
Kings Road
332-334 Kings Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 5UR
And lastly there is one coming soon to Canary Wharf.
Fingers crossed its better for you than it has been for me.
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