Big Daddy’s Diner on the upper west side of Manhattan is one of those diners with a big shiny sign that is hard to avoid. I kind of knew that I was going to be selling myself out a little bit when we walked though the doors, but I chose to rise above that and just roll with the experience.

Their website implores us to “Grab some grub that’ll hit the spot! Big Daddy’s menu features big tasty burgers, frosty shakes and totally awesome tater tots! We’re open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night munchies! Bring your big appetite and let the good time roll at Big Daddy’s!”

There were two other reasons why I came in here apart from that shiny neon sign, firstly is said that it was established in 1969 the year that I was born, and secondly there is a Big Daddy’s Diner stall in the UK that I like to visit, so I just had to come here for conversational opportunity.

As it happens this is one of three Big Daddy’s Diners in New York. The other two are on the Upper East Side and in Gramercy Park.

Inside Big Daddy’s it is just as bright and kitsch as I had hopes. Toys from my childhood and from the movies are strewn over the walls, in the shelves and also hanging from the ceilings. It is a shame that there was not a big box of them available for us to play with. A missed trick I think.

But what about the Food?

We took advantage of “The Big Breakfast Special” as this was “half price weekdays until 11am”. We didn’t fancy pancakes so went for the ‘Two by Four” – ‘farm fresh eggs any style with toast and thick cut bacon or country sausage’ for $13 or by our reckoning 2 for $13 as we were dining in that magic special offer period.

All seems fair enough lets see what we were given 

Bacon and Eggs

Sausage and Eggs

We did the usual classic breakfast move with one of us choosing bacon and one choosing sausage links, then splitting them to share. So on the plus side, it all looks jolly pretty on the plate and (to be fair) it was a big hearty plateful. My ‘scrambled eggs’ were rather good (nice and soft), the bacon was a delight nice thin and crispy just as we like it.

On the other downside the sausages were a bit strange, the were solid and meaty which was a good start, but they had a bit of a weird flavour. I think it might have been the way that they were cooked as opposed to what they were made of. If we want to comment on the potato part of the dish? I still have no idea why these deep fried nuggets were there. I believe that they were called tater tots, they were just so not what I like from a breakfast potato. The strawberry and the orange slice were just totally random, I have nothing else to add on the fruit aspect of the dish.

It was good though that we had the deal where we got both plates half price, so both for $13. I was happy to pay $6.50 I would not have been happy to pay the full $13. Perhaps that is why it is marked as the special because no one else does either?

The signage emplored us to EAT and eat we did with much gusto and much hard work. As in common with many of these diners in the States you get a massive plateful and you end up quite stuffed. Would I eat here again? Maybe but not this particular breakfast. I didn’t like half of the stuff on the plate and it felt a bit contrived to be honest. More Theme Food than Diner Food.

I do like the design of the place though, bright and shiny with loads of toys to drool over and pics to look at. (You cant eat that stuff though can you?)

This particular Big Daddy’s is on the Upper West Side near to the corner of 91st W and Broadway. It is right between the 86th and the 92nd subway stops, but if you are on the 2 or 3 you will have to get off at 92nd as only the 1 stops at the 86th station.

You can see what Big Daddies is up to on  Facebook and on Twitter or just walk in to this branch or one of their other locations in the city