We went here, encouraged by the reviews on yelp. Definitely not disappointed. Got take out, but had to wait around 40 min for our order.. So make sure you call in if you're planning on take out. Tried the reuben sandwich and it was pretty good... one of the best I've tasted in Pittsburgh. My wife got the lasagne and she liked it. The serving size is HUGE.. Will easily last for more than 1 meal. Definitely coming back here to try other stuff on their menu.
(4)
Todd B.
Great place for families and Italian food. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, this place really does have sandwiches as.big as your head. It's crazy. Great hometown service. Small place. Get there early or be willing to wait. But trust me, it's worth the wait. Great chicken parm, fried zucchini, HUGE sandwiches and the calzones are as big as a small child. Am not kidding. Worth the weight, I mean wait. Great place. Loved every minute.
(4)
Tara B.
Excellent find. We came here because of Yelp reviews. And we're really happy we did. Our table of nine started at the bar for an hour and had great appetizers (the bartender steered us to zucchini and it was fantastic). We loved seeing the various foods come to the tables. Our table had massive amounts of food. Perhaps the best was the corned beef on rye. It was incredible. So was the meatball sub. That was pretty amazing too. If and when I get back to Pittsburgh, off all the places I dined, this is THE ONE I would make a point to return to.
(4)
Mike H.
If you follow me on the rest of my social media (HITTofMCM) then you've been waiting for this review. I know that you come to Yelp to find out about the actual product, the Food, and I'll get to that, but Big Jims isn't just about the food no matter how good it is, it's about what this place stands for. Living in Pittsburgh my whole life I can't believe I've never been. The building has been in the GreenField Run since the early 1900's but the restaurant opened in 1977. I've eaten at a lot of places, I've BEEN to a lot of places, but sitting in Big Jims waiting for my food I couldn't help but feel at home, even a bit emotional from the love oozing from this place. I sat at the bar and had the pleasure of having a gentlemen by the name of Scott serve me my Bahama Mama. He started there in 1997 and said he could never see himself working for anyone else even before they appeared on the famous food show DINERS, DRIVE INS AND DIVES. He asked me about myself and what I do and I told him about IM SO BURGH and other things all while he tended to everyone who was there and everyone who came in as if they were all one big family. He knew everyone by name, he knew what some people wanted before they ordered it and he and all the staff operated in a way that wasn't overly friendly and fake but, honest a bit exhausted from life and always with a smile just like it would be at home after a long day. I told him all my Facebook family encouraged me to come here after I posted how I wanted the best Reuben Sandwich I could find in the city of Pittsburgh. While I waited for the food he pointed out they are going through a bit of a revitalization getting new carpet put in, painting tiles and changing walls as if it was renovations in his own home. He pointed out photos of before they were open and a big portrait of Big Jim himself looking all Tony Soprano. He appeared to be a man who got respect and gave it just the same. If I based this review alone on my experience and atmosphere it would get 5 stars but then my food came and as I write this, I wish Yelp had a 6 star system. My Reuben entered my place at the bar like a prize winning champion. The Rye bread was toasted just enough to give it that crisp texture but not too much. The sauerkraut and Swiss was just right and the thousand island dressing was just enough to marinate and flavor but the star of any Reuben is the meat and this didn't disappoint. Thinly shaved, grilled just right with not a moment of chewiness or toughness it melted in your mouth all the way to the last bite. Everything on the sandwich played its role like a team of ingredients should, and just in case I liked a little more Thousand Island, without even asking Scott made sure I had it right by my plate. Each bite made me a little bit more sad because I knew it was coming to an end. Like a night out with good friends that you wish lasted forever, that's how I felt about my closing time with this Reuben, Scott and Big Jims as a whole. I'll be back. I promised them that. Once to take my woman to dinner and a third time to spread the word with friends. The fourth time though, I'll need another solo visit to recapture that first visit feel all over again. If you're from Pittsburgh or just visiting skip the chain places and head to Big Jims, they have something for everyone.
(5)
Emily L.
I wonder if there is a crowd surge at Big Jim's every time their episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives airs. My husband and I had watched the episode earlier in the week and were feeling Italian so we decided to make the short hike from South Side. I ordered a bowl of Wedding Soup and half of a meatball hoagie. He ordered the lasagna. The meatballs are good and the hoagie hit the spot, largely due to the bread and melted cheese. The wedding soup is delicious! Neither of us were impressed by the lasagna. There wasn't much flavor / seasoning aside from the sauce which is a little on the safe "no indigestion afterwards" side. The portions are generous and the atmosphere is definitely divey with late 70's decor and a dedicated clientele of local regulars. I would say it's a great place for a sandwich, soup and a beer. I was eyeing up the jumbo wings someone at the bar ordered. I would definitely give Big Jim's another shot.
(2)
Mitchell B.
My favorite spot in Pittsburgh when I'm hungry. The portions are big and so is the flavor. You cannot beat this place. Their house Italian is great and while their Veal Parm is simple, it is done very well. If you want to have a cheap, relaxed meal and do not mind dated, dusty paintings that you may find in your grandmother's attic on the walls around you, then go to Big Jim's.
(5)
Lambert P.
My friend said this place was on triple D and he wanted to try it so we ended up going. Big Jim's in the Run is essentially right in the middle of a residential zone. It doesn't really feel like you are walking into a business at first because of the area you drove through to get there. You will most likely end up parking on the street in front of somebody's home nearby. This place has what I call quintessential "American Italian". What that means is that it's not necessarily Italian but rather Americanized Italian food which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's just not the same. The first thing you will notice is that the decor is very simple. This place is the last "D" in the title of the show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives". This place is a dive and it's part of the charm of the place. They are not trying to be anything outside of what they are besides themselves which is what makes this place genuine. The servings at this place are really large in that one dish can maybe feed 2 people. If each of your party orders a dish you will most likely not finish your meal. The salads are huge, the bread comes to the table at first the entrees will fill you up big time. The food at the same time is good as well. The lasagna has A LOT of ricotta in it... almost too much. The veal sandwich I ordered was almost the size of the plate! All that being said it's not a lot of money for a lot of food. While it's not the greatest Italian food I've had it's one of the better American Italian food places I've eaten at and I can't say you leave hungry because the portions are beyond generous to the point of being family sized. The service was very welcoming and friendly.
(3)
Christy B.
Found this place on the Food Network app from the Diners, Drive-In & Dives show. I was concerned about going in as it truly is a hole in the wall place but this was the best meal of our entire vacation from NC to Canada. We had the eggplant parmigiana sub, chicken parmigiana sub & fettuccine alfredo- all were fabulous!
(5)
Vinny A.
I ate the WHOLE calzone and didn't even get a t-shirt?!? Really? Not even a discount?!? Seriously, my stomach hurts so bad right now, but I conquered the beast. The whole, delicious beast in all of its entirety. This place is not a diner, not a drive-in...definitely a dive, but, man is it good! Came with a business party of about twelve and the place accommodated us just fine and without hesitation. Everyone loved their food, so I'll definitely be back...though next time for a MUCH smaller portion...or at least when I have portion-control. Super delicious and a super dive! Gotta' love places like this! Cheers!
(4)
Casey S.
One of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh. Certainly a hidden gem. I of course have to comment on the absolute delicious wedding soup. It's hard to find good wedding soup in a restaurant; it's usually either bland or too salty. But Big Jim's gets it just right. They're other dishes are equally yummy and the portions are always huge. Love the pasta with white clam sauce - so many clams! Have also eaten the gnocchi but ordered it with a marinara rather than the meat sauce. They took a bit long to cook but were well worth the wait. Also, all pasta dishes come with a yummy warm and buttery garlic toast! Have also tried steak sandwich and the premium grilled chicken sandwich which are both also good. The bread is fabulous. Have never been hungry enough for dessert but I'm sure it would rock.
(5)
Amanda B.
I heard many good things about Big Jim's from my husband and friends as well as Yelp, so I knew I had to try it. We went at about 7pm on a Friday night and were seated right away. As the night went on the whole place filled up. I didn't have much expectation as to what the place looked like and I'm glad... It was definitely a dive, but a hidden gem. We got nachos and cheese for an appetizer and the portion was huge. It took a little while for our food to come out even after we were completely done with our appetizer. However, we had a small child with us and they were good about bringing her food out first. I got the chicken Parmesan hoagie. It was huge! A half of it would be comparable to a whole hoagie other places. It was pretty good. My husband had the open faced roast beef sandwich and fries and his friend had the roast beef au jus. They both liked their dishes, but thought the roast beef was a bit overdone. The gravy on the sandwich was amazing! Our other friend had the Reuben and it was the best Reuben I've ever had!! Our server was extremely attentive. We thought the portions were extremely generous for the price and we will definitely be back!
(4)
Michael P.
First off, regardless of the stars you see here, make sure you know what type of place this is. It is very much a DIVE/BAR, set in a residential area, and very easy to miss. The food is decent, but nothing to write home about. If you are of the mindset that large amounts of so-so tasting food at cheap prices = great place, then you will love it here. Probably not a place to take a first date - unless she is dressed in a Steeler's jersey.
(3)
Dom D.
Been coming here for about 25 years now, my late mother's favorite restaurant. Service is amazing, and the portions are huge! Love the roast beef sandwich and the chicken hoagie. Gotta try the veal sandwich one of these days!
(5)
GM O.
A staple in Pittsburgh. You get big portions in this place, so come hungry or you ll have leftovers for the next couple days. This time of year, it s all about fish! They have a Friday Lenten menu: Fish, fried or broiled, Mac n Cheese and or Huluski or Crabby cakes. Stop in at least one time during Lent.
(4)
Jean F.
This place is amazing. No questions about it. The food is always so delicious and the portions are massive. I'm a big fan of the fettuccine alfredo. The alfredo sauce is so creamy and buttery. It's better than most straight italian places in Pittsburgh. But don't be fooled this is not just an italian menu. The menu has so many different options to cater to whatever you might be craving on a particular evening. And it's all priced so incredibly reasonable. Great if you've got a couple of hungry kids you're trying to feed without breaking the bank. And, the beer selection is pretty extensive. They've recently added a huge beer list to the bar that will satisfy everyone from the light beer lovers to the craft beer connoisseurs. Again, without breaking the bank. It really is the perfect place to spend a night out without spending your whole paycheck. The staff is always so friendly, kind and attentive. Even if they're slammed and it takes a minute for them to serve you, they make a point to come over and let you know they're not ignoring you and will be over ASAP. It's always a treat to spend an evening at Big Jim's. Give it the highest recommendation.
(5)
Jesse T.
I've had a lot of great sandwiches in the Burgh. Szmidt's, Peppi's and primanti's, they all put out a great product. But the Best Sandwich that I have had in Pittsburgh?? The Reuben at Big Jims in the Run, Greenfield. Sooo spectacular!!! Perfect in every way. I haven't eaten at Gaucha Parilla Argentina yet, so I won't call it the best in the Burgh. But it is the best so far.
Went to visit U of Pittsburgh with the college bound son. Have to always go to a triple D spot when I can. Out of the way, hard to find , at night. Parked in front of the neighbors house and only had to walk across the street which was great.i took a minute for safety as there were a few people out front and I wasn't sure at first glance which door to use to go inside. Inside to the left is a dinning room that we walked into. The room was soooo Very musty smelling that it was on the border of pull your shirt up to your nose to breath. Before we sat I checked the bar side and it was better. Not good but much better. The waitress was as nice as the tables were sticky. If you walked in this place with nobody around ,you would think it was abandoned for a few months. There is nothing wrong with being a Dive, but some Windex and a towel would go a long way.i could only imagine what there homes look like. Anyway we decided to stay. Good enough for Guy good enough for us. Hot open roast beef,fries, gravy was good. Lots lots of gravy on everything. I wish the beef wasn't sooo very well done but it all tasted like the gravy anyway. I would give it a 7. My son got the Reuben sandwich. He was not happy. He pulled a big chunk of fat/cartilage / something ,out of his mouth and lost interest after that. He picked at half and was not a fan of the sauerkraut. I tried it and it tasted spoiled. We took the other half to go and left it in our fridge in the hotel when we checked out of the hotel I said thank you to our waitress and left her a 25% tip because she was nice. If my son chooses this school I would never return . Just to show its not all bad.we visited Fuel and Fuddle near the college the next day for lunch. 10 out of 10. Really really good. ( and clean ,and lighted) unlike big jims.
(1)
Whitley S.
The food is outstanding!!! I usually get their chicken sandwiches and fries... So amazing! It was $22 for a small pizza, cheese fries, and a whole chicken sandwich. My BF and I split it, and had a ton left over. Which isn't bad at all considering the portions. It's a dive type of place with a bar. You can eat in or take out. It's a very random place in Greenfield, but the food was so delicious! They have a menu on their website too!
(5)
Drew H.
Solid three stars and as others have said it's 100% a dive. Had chicken parm dinner and some meatballs on the side. The parm was right around average and the meatballs were definitely below par. However, for the price and the amount of food you get there is definitely good value for the money, but not somewhere that I have to rush back to next time I'm in Pittsburgh.
(3)
Gail B.
The place doesn't look the best but food is excellent and the service is fantastic! My husband always gets pizza or open face roast beef n gravy. I get lasagna (which gives me 3meals) or a sandwich. My granddaughter's love to go there. They get there own personal pizza which is huge. Big Jim's was also on "Diners, Drive in and Dives". Guy showed the spaghetti being made, he gave the recipe. Also, I forgot to mention they have the best wedding soup in Pittsburgh.
(5)
Matthew U.
*walks in, sets down soapbox, steps upon soapbox, clears throat* For all those people that kindly wrote a review on this place solely because you watched an episode of DDD, maybe you should have ordered exactly what was shown on the show and then left it at that. If you are going to come here because of the show, then do exactly what they did on the show and leave it at that. Don't bring down the whole place because what you ordered didn't look/taste like what was served on the show. *steps down and removes the soapbox* Now, since that is out of the way, let me move forward. Yes, this place is a little offsetting with the way it looks. It's a bit divey on the inside, well maybe more than a bit divey on the inside. That is exactly what gives this place character. It gives you the feel that you are in someones home from the 70s. TVs are around the place, tacky pictures and mirrors line the walls, and the chairs are mismatched. The servers kind of blend in a bit making it feel 70s more so. The menu, even though it looks small, takes a bit to look over. Be sure to look it over as well, you may pass up something that you really want. I opted for the open face turkey sandwich with fries. I was expecting to get a moderate amount of food as you do at other places, and I was fine by that. What I got on the other hand surely surprised me. When I saw the size of the plate, I was shocked. It was the size of a small platter, and the whole thing was covered in food. Two thick slices of bread, toasted and then topped with a heaping pile of turkey and then covered with gravy. And the fries, oh my god, the fries. They are fresh cut, on the smaller size, but still amazing. The gravy also topped these. It took me some time and determination, but I downed it all. For two meals, it cost us under $20. A meal of this caliber at any other place would definitely cost us more. Big Jim's is definitely worth getting lost in Greenfield to find a good meal. *Take out available with a fee.
(4)
Jill C.
I was going to complain about the fact that no one answered the phone when I called to place a take-out order--nor did they call me back within 30 minutes; or when I got there and realized there were 11 tables (only 3 filled) and 4 waitresses--all huddled together giggling at something; or when I asked for a glass of wine while I waited for my take-out order and she said "it really won't take them long" ,,,but then I got back to my condo (in the Village--a five minute walk in a now thunderstorm) and tasted my delicious BBQ sandwich with baked beans and I forgot everything that was wrong. Maybe it was the wine.
(3)
Adam J. V.
When I visit restaurants, I usually order TO GO. I also order 3 to 5 different meals, in order to objectively judge the establishments. Ordering one meal at Big Jim's is enough to feed 3 people AND THEY WILL ALL LOVE IT. One of the best reuben sandwiches outside of New York and GREAT DINNERS. If you are in Pittsburgh, skip Primanti's and go to Big Jim's.
(4)
P S.
Amazing! Went there this weekend and although hard to find, was totally worth it. Food was enormous and delicious. Prices were low and the wait staff was super friendly and very helpful. We go to Pittsburgh a lot so we will def. go back.
(5)
Justin M.
Anyone that doesn't know about Big Jim's, you sir, are in for a treat. I have been to this restaurant dozens of times, and every time I have been here, It's been exactly the same. When you walk into Big Jim's, you look like you're walking into an abandoned dive bar, It's not so clean, you can see the dust blowing around in the air, and there is 30 years of wear and tear, and the decor is a mix of old italian restaurant and catholic church. the tables and chairs are ugly, and usually kinda sticky. Now that's out of the way, lets talk about service. Abysmal. There is one, two servers tops in the place, and you can wait up to 20 minutes to get drinks. The food takes a bit of time as well due to the short staff, but this is standard in a dive bar/restaurant. So you're probably saying to yourself, why did you give this place 4 stars Justin? Weeeeelllll, the food is fantastic. If you get a sandwich, expect it to be so big, you have to take a second, collect yourself, and formulate a plan as to how to even get this thing in your mouth. The veal parmesan sandwich, is the size of a large dinner plate, and just stacked with fried veal (and only 11.95, seriously?!) The pizzas have so much cheese, it makes me want to weep. I have never had anything on the menu that hasn't been cheap, oversized, and crazy good. For your basic bar foods, this place is killing it. If you don't mind waiting for it. They have a short staff on at all times, but they're passing the savings on to you!
(4)
Tameeka S.
We came. We ate. It was good but not the best I've had. Not a complaint just an opinion.
(3)
Marcus J.
This place is a tucked away little gem in the burgh. The atmosphere is... interesting, but the food is delicious. Their white pizza is the best (with tomatoes). Their Pittsburgh salads are humongous. If you haven't made the trek to this joint in the run, you definitely should. You may find yourself taking your friends their to show it off...
(5)
Melissa A.
Really disappointed by eggplant parmagian. Had no flavor and barely any sauce or cheese, looked really good until biting in. Atmosphere was terrible too, would not have minded if the food was great though.
(1)
David R.
Food is pretty good. Menu is huge! It takes a while to decide what you want. Service can be fast, or slow depending on how many people are in your party, and how much food you ordered. I usually get the chicken hoodie with fries when I am there. I guarantee you that you will leave with left over, because the portions are pretty much the largest in Pittsburgh.
(4)
James D.
Triple D heaven. Epitomizes dive joint. Awesome service and massive amounts of food for your money. Would eat here every day if I lived in Pittsburgh. Definitely going back. Check out my food pics of meatball hoagie and open faced hot turkey sammich. Insanely good. Seriously, stop reading and go to Big Jim's.
(5)
Bob K.
I do not even know where to start. I worked here when Big Jim and Joyce were here. I do not live in Pittsburgh any more and only get back once every 3-4 years. First look it's still the same. But this place is DIRTY. From the front cash register to the pictures in the back dining area. Had the wedding soup that hasn't changed flavorful more veggies and meat than broth as Jim and Joyce always liked it. Fried zucchini was really greasy and the marinara was In a plastic cup. I know it's not fine dining but that was never done. Spaghetti and meat sauce. That was very watery but nicely cooked pasta. Garlic bread was hard as rocks but the watery sauce softened it up. They need to shut down for a week and paint and clean. Staff was just OK, not outstanding as has been in the past. No pride in the work. This hurts my heart it write this review. But the truth is the truth and it's time to face it.
(1)
Miriam M.
Delicious!!! Home cooking in a down-to-earth dive. Exactly what I was expecting...excellent food, generous portions and more than reasonable prices. How often can you say you've been to a place where you're satisfied in your belly and happy with the price you paid? The Italian wedding soup was homemade and incredibly tasty. Don't expect a fancy presentation, but know you're getting homemade soup. The salads leave much to be desired, but the house made Italian dressing made me gobble up the lettuce adorned with two olives and one cherry tomato. On to the main dish--definitely order the veal parmigiana dinner AND the meatballs with spaghetti. The veal was hot and fresh! Meatballs were moist and jumbo sized. We truly enjoyed our meal. Actually, we were curious to try dessert--but the server informed us that they don't offer any sweets because no one can ever finish their plate!!! Love it and will definitely be back!!! Thanks Guy Fieri!!!
(4)
Debby R.
Did not disappoint the veal parm sandwich IS as big as your head and is enough for 3 meals. Is also delicious, the fresh cut fries with beef gravy were perfect! Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful well worth the visit
(4)
Andrew K.
Big Jim's is an unassuming restaurant in an unassuming neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Most people don't know where "the run" is or where lower greenfield is. Big Jim's makes it worth investigating. This is place is the quintessential Pittsburgh dive, but the red Italian is amazeballs. We split a bowl of the wedding soup with was easily the best version that I have ever had. The escarole really makes it. I had the chicken parmesan dinner. The included salad was forgettable but the entree was great. Large crisp chicken breast smothered in a borderline inappropriate amount of cheese. I got the pasta and it was a little overcooked but serviceable. My meal was large enough to split with someone but what came next was just downright dirty. The calzone is at Big Jim's is ridiculous. It needs to come with a warning other than that it takes 45 minutes. I am not kidding these calzones could double as tomatoey warming blankets for italian newborns. My wife and I couldn't come close to finish this. As for the service, I would like to call it, Pittsburgh friendly. Meaning that in any other city you would assume your server was rude and incompetent but in Pittsburgh it is normal. Just now what you want before your server gets there. Bottom line, this place is a dive in the BEST way. Take the time to get to the run.
(4)
Spencer K.
You feel at home when you enter this restaurant. Stained green carpet and large portions reminds you of dinner at grandmas. My first time at Jim's was on a freezing Pittsburgh night. As I walked into this famed restaurant I was met with the specials scrawled on a chalkboard. After being quickly seated I ordered a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings and it was hot and delicious. After that, I ordered the fries with gravy and the veal parmigiana sandwich. The sandwich was huge (big enough that two grown men shared it as a meal) and the fries were crispy with a delicious brown gravy. Overall, I was very satisfied with my meal, the atmosphere and the people at Big Jim's!
(4)
Gilles D.
Came here on my wife's whim, will be coming back for sure. We started with the eggplant parm appetizer and when it came out I thought it was mistakenly an entree. Nope it is just huge! And delicious. I got the large fish sandwich which is not a misnomer. Two giant fillets on a bun, I didn't even make it to the bun before I was full!!! The staff was great, nice little atmosphere and for the price I do not think you can beat the portions anywhere in the city.
(5)
Kelsey R.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN PITTSBURGH. Their calzones are seriously twice as big as my head. They're huge! Great, quality Italian and comfort food at incredible prices. Usually packed with locals, a little divey... Love it!
(5)
Keven K.
We had a group of 11, including 3 kids. I had seen this featured on food networks DDD with guy fieri, and combined with a strong yelp rating, figured this was worth a stop. We had an afternoon game at consol energy center so this place was 8 minutes from the arena. The portions are beyond enormous--is there a word for that? Our tale had Stromboli, which could have fed 3. Kids had the children's pasta which was way too much for any kid, but ok. I had he meatball sub half size, which was fine. Pizza was quite good too. I think everyone was very satisfied, and filled, by their meal. Prices are very reasonable. The service was good. I had read, and heard, that service was either a nightmare or good. We lucked out as our server was very attentive and happy to split our group into 3 checks. We got there at 430 on a Saturday, I had called the day before since we were a large group. Not many tables full at 430, but by 530 there was a wait at the door. Great stop!
(4)
T-Bone R.
What you see is what you get. A dive serving mediocre food in large portions. The wedding soup was ok but a tad salty. The pasta dishes were decent but was a little bland. Good red sauce and respectable meatballs. The veal parm sandwich was epic huge but also a little bland. The staff were very friendly. Not a bad stop, but not a DDD winner.
(3)
Isabella L.
Big Jim's was the first place I hit up on my cross-country trip from Philly to L.A., so I was expecting delicious, gut busting, bad-for-you food in large quantities, and that's what I got :) I ordered the lasagna. Someone on Yelp said it was big as a head - yeah, they weren't kidding. This lasagna was huge and boy was it good. I give it a 4 out of 5, although I'm not sure if they could do much more to improve it - I think they should add another type of cheese to the top to make it a tad more flavorful, but that's my take. My husband got the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were not as big as I expected, but their slightly spicy flavor was really awesome. The pasta and garlic bread were just right too. All right so the food has me around 5 stars, but why the 4? Well, I could handle being in a shady part of town and the overall dark, dreary character of the place, cause as Guy said on Triple D it's a Dive - fine. But at these type of places I expect really good service from friendly people. Well, we had 2 servers - one was friendly but really difficult to get over to the table and the other was less likely to come around without being harassed and also seemed annoyed with everyone there. For the out-of-towners deciding between Big Jim's and something like Primanti Bros, go with Big Jim's - seriously.
(4)
Amber H.
I've been here a couple times and like it --- it's comfortable in a yinzer way. The walls have dark paneling, the food is unpretentious, the portions are huge, the bill is low - and the service is pleasant but not overly chatty/fake. My favorites on the menu are chicken parm and pizza. The chicken parm is huge (2-3 meals on a plate, basically). The chicken isn't pounded too thin, which is key because they do put a decent amount of "crust" on the chicken (which I happen to like because mmm FRIED BATTER) and the pasta isn't overcooked. Pizza isn't thin crust -- but it's not pan thick either. I love it for that reason. It holds up to the tons of cheese (that actually melts into goo without being a gummy mess). The pasta and pizza sauces are good -- on the sweeter side, but not overly so. Husband likes the turkey club - it has a ton of thick sliced turkey breast. I'm mainly taking a star off because I don't like their fries, which are homemade shoe string. I am kind of picky when it comes to fries -- so, maybe I am being too critical. I just found them to be kind of mushy and weak. Maybe I just got a bad batch? I dunno, after having them once, I never ordered them again. The neighborhood is just fine. Unless working class neighborhoods and urban infrastructure scares you. I think it reads as sketchy to some people because it's tiny, nothing is fancy, and the businesses aren't all clustered together. The Run looks like a small working class town.
(4)
Katonah O.
Massive servings, friendly folks. First timer. Decent meal all around. I had the Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, so I had to try it here. Great big tasty bread (toasted, not grilled), yummy kraut and cheese. But the corned beef .. well, they didn't cook it there. Must have come in with the rest of the cold cuts. Not the reubens I'm used to. I will come by for the veal parm, though. There's enough quality to bring me back.
(3)
Tatyana K.
I first noticed this place on my run, then I came across it in a Pittsburgh traveling guide and finally, some 5 months later, I had an opportunity to visit yesterday. It's in a part of Greenfield called The Run, tucked away from main roads and traffic. Parking is super easy, the neighborhood looks a little sketch but I've ran here at night in the dark and it seems fine. The restaurant was packed! For this location, I thought it would be pretty empty. Lots of families, relaxing and enjoying their huge dinners. We were seated right away, with people constantly checking up on us, right away we got beer and menus. I'd say we had 3 waiters as all of them made sure everything was great. The food is home-style, comfort food - lots of hoagies, sandwiches and pasta, they have their menu online. I ordered a 2-bill sandwich: corned beef, swiss cheese, slaw and a fried egg. It was HUGE and came with more coleslaw. It sounds like they only have 4 beers on tap. Highlight of my meal - noticing Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives poster on a wall, autographed. I'm not a huge fan of the show but still thought it pretty cool to eat at a place featured on Food Network's show!
(4)
Bernard S.
There are a million places that serve food like this in Pittsburgh. The thing that sets Big Jim's apart is that it tastes reeeeeeel good and they give you ALOT of food. One thing food places similar to Big Jim's does to offset the mediocre food is the portion, in the run the food tastes better and the portions set the bar again. The calzone is a large supreme pizza folded in half. It typically takes me 3 meals to complete it. The Reuben is solid, big thick and flavorful as the toppings overflow the sides of the marble rye bread. The burgers, I feel are a little lacking, but they offer a black bean burger. The eggplant parm appetizer is easily a filling meal for one person.
(4)
David L.
Saw it on DDD. It was awesome. Reuben sandwich was great. My friends had a fish sandwich and a 2 bill sandwich and they loved theirs. When I get back to Pittsburgh will definitely eat there again. Worth the trip. Once again, its AWESOME!
(5)
Ed B.
I saw Big Jim's on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Went there when in Pittsburgh with my son visiting Pitt, had a great lunch. My son went to Pitt and I have been back several times. The food is very good, large servings and reasonably priced. This place will surprise you. It is off the beaten path. You have to be looking for it because it is below the highway in a neighborhood that leads nowhere to my knowledge. It is unattractive at best but the service is good, food is very good, fresh, plentiful and very reasonable. If you like good food, funky places and you are not a snob stop in and give it a try.
(5)
Ryan P.
I went here expecting the worst, and was pleasantly surprised - the place is funky. Expect huge portions of cheap, fairly good although on the greasy side... food. Bring your apetite! The calzone is big enough to feed four for dinner, easily. Salad was okay, and the salmon sandwich was better than expected (but not great). Next time I crave some hearty food, I'll probably come back and get a pizza or calzone.
(4)
Annie Q.
I love the calzones and that seems to be the best thing on the menu. The spicy meat Calzone might be the best folded pizza I've ever had. Portions are Huge. WE did see a pasta being ordered once- HUGE HUGE HUGE. The only other thing worth a visit for is the new breakfast. It is a grease heaven. The potatoes are kicking but huge in number. Pancakes put the word cake back in the equation. It feels really good after a drinking night and I recommend it. But go for the calzones. They are HUGE- imagine large pizza folded for maybe 8 bucks or something amazing. Feeds 3-4 EASILY. I barely barely can eat a fourth, and i love my food (know what I mean). Owners really nice to. Overall, solid Greenfield place.
(4)
Kay E.
The only reason I want to try this little dive tucked away on a barely lit street was because my dear dad saw it listed in one of his cooking magazines since it had been featured on DDD (you know the show I mean). I wish I knew what Guy recommended so I could decided what to try from the massive selection! I am not a burger person, but the hot pot roast and fries with gravy sounded pretty good to me! When I saw the gigantic plate coming from the kitchen I knew right away I couldn't finish it. For the price, the portion size alone is a value! I did also order Wedding soup. Something I never even heard of before moving to Pittsburgh, The soup itself was very delicious. Not bland and with few meatballs (which is FINE with me!). At least I didn't have to ask for the Parmesan cheese, the server brought it out with the soup. My meal itself was just okay. The bread was kind of tough and hard to cut. The beef didn't have much flavor, but the gravy helped this. The fries, sadly, tasted like the oil they were cooked in needed changed badly. At first I though maybe it was just that there was still skin left on the potatoes, but Darren pointed out the oil problem. Another comment, WHAT IS WITH THIS AREA AND CURT SERVERS??? If you aren't from Pittsburgh I think you'll be shocked at the rudeness. Darren seems used to it (swearing that "they aren't being rude")...and if this is what you get used to here, I am heartbroken. Is friendly service too much to ask for? If I decide to come back, I will try a different sandwich.
(3)
Russ D.
My review is based strictly on the rueben and/or two-bill sandwiches. Hands down the best in the city, and yes I've been to Szmidt's. It's the go to spot for my g/f's family to celebrate birthday's, and I'm looking forward to another sandwich tomorrow night for that very reason. Yes it's a dive, but it's comfortable, and I appreciate a place that doesn't take it self too seriously.
(4)
Amanda E.
I love Big Jim's. It's honestly my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh. The portions are huge, the food is delicious and the price is good! I've had the lasagna several times and it has never disappointed. Seriously the portion is huge! The servers are always friendly and attentive, I've never had a bad experience at this restaurant.
(5)
T.C. J.
Great neighborhood, great little divey place, and good food at great prices. I play basketball at the hoops courts down in the Run and often will stop by Big Jim's afterward to get some much needed sustenance. The portions are huge and almost everything is good. The last time I was there I got the Reuben and it did not disappoint. Stacked high with meat and good tasting and I think it was only around 8 dollars. The service at the bar isn't all that attentive, but by no means is poor. It is exactly what you would expect at a place like this. If you are looking for a fancy night out this surely isn't the place, but it is absolutely perfect for what it is. Cheap food and drinks in huge portions.
(4)
Daniel C.
Yes, the portions are gigantic..the calzone one of my party ordered was about the size of a Ford Pinto. This is a wonderful, gritty place, that is oozing with character. The food is more than decent, and our waitress was a sweetheart. The prices are very reasonable. Be sure to check out the condom dispenser in the men's room for a very funny inscription a patron has written on it.
(3)
Michael M.
This is somewhere between 3 and 4 (give it a 3.5). The chicken parm hoagie is a 5. It is awesome - big, tasty, awesome. Wife got stuffed shells - they were good, the cheese was fresh and soft. I liked the marinara, but the wife said it was just ok, a little bland. Meatballs did lack flavor - pretty bland and a little disappointing. Excellent service - seemed like a real neighborhood place. The pizza looked damn good - we would definitely go back.
(3)
Ed C.
Had the reuben, which was good and big enough for two. Will try the veal parmagian sandwich next time.
(4)
Chuck B.
My wife and I are Triple D junkies so we try to find places wherever we travel that Guy has been to. Last night we tried Big Jim's. She had the Chicken Parm sandwich and I had the Gnocchi. Both were fabulous. Obviously, the sandwich was way to big for one sitting snowed took the rest for a late night snack.
(5)
Joseph S.
This is a great neighborhood restaurant/bar. I went with friends on the recommendation of a Food Network host, and was not disappointed. The food is greasy, delicious, and comes in large portions. Not to mention, it's cheap. Be prepared to wait, though - it's a popular place!
(4)
Elena C.
What a hole in the wall! But who cares? The food is delicious. :) We started off with house salads. The dressing was awesome but I handed my olives over to T who gladly accepted. For my meal I had the chicken parm. The plate was the size of my body. Not my head, my body. Delicious. Covered in gooey cheese and piping hot, rich red sauce. Yum. The pasta was less impressive and the reason for the missing star above. Bland bland bland. Just needed to add a little salt to the cooking water and all would have been well. But no matter. I concentrated on the chicken and left stuffed. I would definitely go back to try other offerings. The sandwiches were obscenely large but looked awesome.
(4)
Matt D.
Take a step back with me: The year, circa 1985. When the family Chevy wagon heads out on a Saturday afternoon jaunt from the Pittsburgh suburbs with all 5 kids in tow, we all know that, while the zoo/museum/ballgame is going to be fun, the highlight is going to be the dinner stop at Big Jim's. After which the overloaded sky-blue Impala (with its overloaded occupants), will lumber back onto the parkway east, stuffed and homeward bound... Yeah, my old man was thrifty (5 kids will do that to you), this was about all of the dining out we ever did as a family. But he certainly had taste! I can proudly say I have been enjoying Big Jim's for more than 20 of my 30 years... as good now as it was then (or better, as I can now share in the pitchers). I'm glad to see that the other Yelp reviews here treat it as it should be treated, not as haute cuisine (some other online reviews questioned the cleanliness of the bathrooms, which appear to have been last sanitized shortly before I started going there. This was also the last time the condom dispenser was replenished, judging by the written descriptions), but as what it truly is: your yinzer cousin's woodgrained-laminate basement rec-room, only with fantastic, gigantic portions of Pittsburgh comfort food, served by friendly folks... If you simply want your mind boggled at shear food quantity, go with one of the calzones every time. The "Big Jim" named for the now-deceased founder (I have seen this man, he was indeed not small), has a small deli-case worth of cured meats inside, and is served hanging over the edges of a large pizza tray. I myself am not a small man, and this dish constitutes three solid meals for me. Believe it or not, this place used to be even cheaper, the above calzone now runs the better part of 10 dollars... What can I say, I'm nearly as cheap as Dad, though it's still worth every penny. Also, reservations are accepted for very large parties (6 or more, I think). I had to suffer through the DD role for a bachelor's party on my most recent visit, Big Jim's without beer was kinda like delicious purgatory. Though the service was, as ever, fantastic, without being the least overbearing: After it became clear I was drinking pop, a tiny, halfsize pitcher appeared next to my glass. Needless to say, many humorous "giant calzone siting" photos were snapped next to my mini pitcher with available cellphones... Can't recommend it enough, one visit will make you a believer. This is the kind of place that brought me back to Pittsburgh after early-20s wanderings. Though the men's toilet is, like all good bars, not for the faint of heart!
(5)
Leonard W.
My sister told me about this place while we were driving around exploring Pittsburgh. Obviously it was because of DD&D.So finding the place was kind of hard since I didnt know the roads that well. Once getting here I have to agree that it looks like its in a weird place or at least an old town of the area. Park in the back and go in. Nice interior, very homely feel, and they were showing the world cup which is always nice. So because I've never been here we decide to order a bundle. We order the lasagna, the buffalo chicken wings (full), a reuben sandwich, and onion rings. The lady was nice and friendly brought out some waters for my sis, cousin, and me. The wait was a while for the food but im sure everythings fresh and not just sitting there waiting. The wings looked nice, the reuben was big portioned, and my lasagna was out of this world in size. Just looking at it almost gave me acid reflux lol. The food was good nonetheless. The truth is I would probably give this place 4 stars but I wasnt too impressed with the taste. The portions were huge, the prices were great, but I just felt something was missing from the taste. Dont get me wrong, this place would be a massive frequent if i lived in the area because of the menu and prices, but from my visit, i would give it 3.5 stars. Once i go back and try some other dishes I would gladly revise my rating.
(3)
Alex W.
I love Big Jim's! It's very cheap, the portions are massive, and the food (wedding soup, open faced turkey sandwich, and fish sandwich) is fantastic. The service is not fast or overly warm, but so what. Order another beer and enjoy your company and the great food.
(5)
Pat M.
Best veal Parm going
(5)
Loni W.
During a recent trip to Pittsburgh, my boyfriend and I decided to try Big Jim's. The atmosphere was casual and busy since we were there on a Friday night but very friendly. I strongly recommend their Italian Wedding soup and, if you are up for a challenge, the veal pram sandwich.
(5)
Allen B.
I saw this on triple D so I had to try it. The food is okay and the place is kinda a dive. Not the kind of place you'd want to bring a date. I would probably come back but there are plenty of other places in Pittsburgh that I prefer.
(3)
Ty S.
Very cool little corner of town. It might look a bit sketchy, but was very safe. Extremely good Reuben and a frosty pint of beer. Will come here again
(4)
A H.
o,m,g best sandwich i had in my life. i wish they made sandwich like this in los angeles
(5)
Je'Amour M.
sheer joy being an Italian woman and find a place with decent wedding soup & lovely entrees and sandwiches...
(5)
melissa k.
Food was just awesome; and Scott our host/waiter was the best ever, never an empty drink and great personality. We had the meatballs, pizza and chicken Parm hoagies. We just LOVED being there!
(5)
F P.
Ah yes...Big Jim's. I have been eating here since the early 80s when my Mom worked there. My first memory of video games comes from Big Jim's. I was sitting on someone's lap playing a table top version of Q-Bert. Those were the days. This place is just a hole in the wall. But its a great one. No matter what you get off the menu, its tasty. This time, we got the open-faced roast beef sandwich, the open-faced turkey sandwich, a small cheese pizza and a chicken parm sandwich. The two open-faced sandwiches are awesome. Big piles of meat and gravy on top of hearty chunks of Italian bread and thin-cut homemade fries. The turkey was real sliced turkey from a turkey breast. The roast beef is fresh sliced, too. The pizza is always good. The really pile on the cheese. Unfortunately today, they piled the sauce on, too. There was literally enough sauce to scoop off the pizza and eat with a fork. Which I did, because their sauce is almost as good as my own. Still though...all that sauce is not needed. The chicken parm was okay. It was a large chicken cutlet but it wasn't very crispy. The bread was good and just like the pizza, the cheese was piled high on this hoagie. Other than the overly saucy pizza the only real complaint was the waitress wasn't very friendly. This is atypical of the place and this is the first time I can recall having a crabapple for a server here. I don't like to base my reviews on previous visits, and I won't. But I well touch base on some of the other menu items that are top notch. Their pasta is always good. They really do have a good sauce. I'm not the kind of person who likes ordering pasta in restaurants because its never as good as my own (or my father's). But Big Jim's is the sort of place I can break my rules over. They have these fried eggplant appetizers. They're awesome. Skip the parmesan version and just get them with marinara on the side. The salads are always huge. Just make sure you tell them you don't need any french fries on them...Big Jim's, just like many other restaurants in this city, likes to muck up a perfectly good salad by dumping fries all over them. They have a homemade Italian dressing that is truly delicious. We've commented time and time again how we wish we could buy it by the bottle and take it home with us. All the meat on their sandwiches is the real deal. Actual sliced roast beef and turkey. I don't know where they get their cold cuts from, but they're not cheap....they're quite good. The bread's great, as well. Crispy and flaky on the outside, soft and hearty on the inside. Like I said...pretty much everything on the menu is good. We've tried a little bit of everything on the menu and you can't go wrong.
(5)
Mike P.
Pretty mediocre....saw the place on triple D and wanted to try it. Wedding soup was good, chicken parm was huge but not particularly outstanding. Tomato sauce had a strange taste to it. Place is a real dump but has character
(3)
Gwen K.
Just had to update this to say that Big Jim's is now smoke free!
(4)
McCall N.
A friend of mine saw this on Diners, Drive-In's & Dives, so we knew we had to try it. It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it's a family favorite. Don't come here if you're in a hurry, but the food is worth the wait. Huge portions & fairly cheap.
(4)
Randy T.
Was visiting Pitt a while back and everyone said Big Jims was the place to eat. They couldnt have been more right. Big Jims is a place you wouldnt even notice as a restaurant on the outside and I cant even recall any businesses surrounding it. The food is where this place really shines. I settled on the Veal Parmesan and couldnt believe my eyes when it came to the table, the veal was bigger than my platter! I couldnt even finish my meal and ended up taking half of it home, great value for the money. They also make homemade wedding soup thats outta this world! We woulda dined at Big Jim's our entire time in Pitt but Diners Drive Inn's and Dives happened to be filming while we were there and we couldnt get near the place again, bummer!
(5)
Jessica B.
Like many others reviewing Big Jim's, I was inspired to try it after seeing the Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives episode in which it was featured. Based on what I saw on the show, and what I had read on Yelp, I knew to expect huge portions and the "homey" (to put it nicely) decor. Indeed, it was decorated like a suburban grandparents basement, but it actually was kind of charming. I went with my husband and a friend one Friday night a few weeks ago. We got there around 7pm and it was crowded but we did not have to wait for a table. Unlike many reviewers here, our service was definitely not slow; a waitress was almost immediately at the table to take drink orders (before we all got a chance to look through the menu) and made herself available throughout the meal, frequently checking in with us. I really wanted to try the meatballs, which had been showcased on DDD. I ordered two as an appetizer (husband and friend ordered jalapeno poppers, of which I am not a fan and did not try. They claimed they were tasty). The meatballs were quite delicious and so was the accompanying sauce. I could tell both were homemade, and enjoyed the sauce so much that even when I had finished the meat, I scraped up the rest of the sauce with my fork to finish it all. For dinner I ordered a hot sausage calzone. The waitress told me that it would take about 30 minutes to cook, and since we ordered apps I didn't care. Again, I knew from watching DDD that the portion would be ridiculous, and it was: it was as if someone took a large pizza and folded it in half. It really was that big. But, I can say this as a hard-core foodie and a self-labeled gourmand, it was the best damn calzone I have ever eaten. Hands down; no contest. The dough was thin and crisp and perfectly, uniformly browned. In general, my critique about calzones is that there is often way too much cheese (I am not a fan of tons and tons of cheese), but this calzone had the proporations down perfectly: fresh delicious fillings of sausage, peppers and onions, and a smattering of cheese to tie it all together. The sausage was indeed spicy, sliced thinly and bursting with flavor. The onion and peppers appeared to have been roasted first, then thinly sliced, which also added an unexpected dimension of flavor. A winner. And we had enough calzone left over to eat throughout the rest of the weekend. My husband ordered a reuben sandwich which he said was really good, and our friend ordered the immense veal parm sandwich which she described as delicious. I will definitely go back to Big Jim's. I want to try other things on the menu but I am already craving that calzone again. Seriously: this place is worth the trip and I can now see why people rave about it. I am only giving it four stars because of the decor. Yes: I get it, you're homey and dive-y and unpretentious, yadda yadda, but if someone spent 2 hours sprucing the interior of that place up, it would make a huge difference.
(4)
Janel D.
We saw this place on the tv show Diners Drive-ins and Dives and had to try it. The place is certainly a dive in terms of the decor, but when you taste the food it doesn't matter one bit. It's actually kind of refreshing that this place stands solely on it's food. We had the wedding soup which was phenomenal. It was filled with delicious meatballs, pieces of chicken and had a great flavor! We also had a pizza and split an order of meatballs. The meatballs and the marinara that they came in were quite tasty, and left us wanting more. While the pizza was very good, we wished we had ordered some pasta after admiring our neighbor's choices. We will definitely return for another tasting session sometime soon. The wait staff was efficient but not overly friendly. They were spread a bit thin and seemed to have a way of doing things that didn't always put the customer's needs first. But, again, the food stands on it's own, and if that's what you are going there for, then you will certainly not be disappointed!
(4)
scott s.
Awesome place. Small, friendly, super cheap and super big portions. The appetizer eggplant is large enough to serve as a meal, with some left over for tomorrow's lunch.
(5)
Jenn P.
Um... Am I the only one who is going to say that they had problems with this place???? I didn't get this place at all!!!! Bill and i saw this joint on Triple D with Guy Fieri , and we had to experience it for ourselves. Thats where the problem began. First off, we Had to wait in line at a dive bar in a shady part of town for 30 minutes!!!! Then, when we finally were seated, we noticed that the dish washer from the back was taking our drink order, (which took forever to get back to us!!! Doesnt anyone know what pete's wicked ale is???? MORONS!!!!) Dont even get me started on the food, which took a over an hour to make and get to our table. The wedding soup was a joke!!! too salty, Ive had better... I dont know... If you like to wait around for your food, then this is the place for you, ( they do have take out, i dont know how long that would take to make though....) So basically, We spent over 2 hours in this place in which this is time we will never get back. Btw, thanks for wasting our time.... we know better now
(2)
Zach C.
Saw Big Jims on Diners Drive ins and Dives and after reading the yelp reviews had to try it. I walked in was surprised by how crowded it was on a sunday especially in its location ( not off a busy highway and if you weren't looking for it most likely wouldn't just stumble upon it) I ordered a veal parm sandwich which i heard was the speciality. Bread was a nice italian loaf and was perfect for this sandwich. Sauce was really good, not that much cheese on the sandwich, which i like. The veal was breaded really well not to thick and chunky but rather nice and light. They give you tons of veal on the sandwich. Overall, I really liked the sandwich and it was huge and good BUT there was deff. something missing. There wasn't a hug WOW to it... but it was really good. just didn't blow me away.
(4)
Thomas M.
Im a fan, my brother and I had sandwiches, big Jim's reuben. This monster sandwich is every bit what you want. Authentic, divey, tasty, grilled to perfection. Take it home and save it for later. Get on board at Jims
(4)
Scott B.
Since I have family that lives down the street, I have been coming to Big Jim's for over 20 years. I used to really enjoy coming here but stopped visiting several years ago. Although the food was always good, the place was getting dirtier every time I was there. Yesterday my wife and I decided to stop for lunch. I figured that the place was probably cleaned up since the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives episode. After being seated, I wanted to leave. To be honest, I don't know why I stayed. Nothing had changed. In fact I think it got worse. The floor was filthy. There was food under tables that looked like it was there for days. Remember, I was here for lunch and they just opened. The tables and chairs in the dining room looked as though they were purchased at a yard sale. Very old and falling apart. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the service and food was good. I had an Italian hoagie and my wife had a salad. Both tasted good but I really couldn't enjoy it. I kept thinking that if the dining room was this dirty, what is the kitchen like?
(2)
Harry M.
We went around lunchtime, but it wasn't very busy. Service was relatively quick and attentive. The waitress didn't mind that I was using my iPhone at the table, either. She also complemented me on the jersey I was wearing - of course, we were both wearing Crosby jerseys! I had a full meatball hoagie. It was delicious. The cheese was oozing onto the plate, the meatballs were tasty and the meat sauce on it was great. Someone mentioned an odd taste to it - I think it's the pork that's in the meat sauce. My girlfriend got a full chicken parm as well. I gave that a taste and the chicken was almost better than the meatballs! It was excellent. I highly recommend going here.
(5)
Jim A.
Big Jim's is something from the past, if you are looking for those Pittsburgh restaurants from yesteryear then you are in luck with Big Jim's. The gf and I went here for Dinner one night on a Monday at 6pm and this place was packed. She got the reuben, which had homemade russian dressing made with bread & butter pickles, (not my cup of tea), but still very tasty. I indulged in the chicken parm sandwich, which I found out later that the veal parm is the way to go, but nonetheless the chicken parm sammy was very good. We also had onion rings, which were run of the mill. But all in all for two gigantic sandwiches, onion rings and 3 beers for under $30 is a great deal.
(4)
Manfred F.
My favorite greasy spoon in the burgh. Portions are large, the meatball sandwich is the bomb. Burgers are great and the pizza is homemade tasty. They carry a fine selection of bottled beer, domestic and imported. If you're hungry this is the place to go. Down to earth dining!
(5)
Mary G.
Huge portions, great prices, and friendly faces. I recommend the veal parm sandwich
(4)
Will H.
With so many new semi-pretentious restaurants opening in Pittsburgh, it's nice that we finally discovered Big Jim's, making it "new" to us! It took me nearly six years of living in PIttsburgh, but I may have finally found that go-to, no-frills Italian restaurant that suits our laid back attitudes and selective palates. I've ran, biked, and driven past Big Jims over and over throughout the years, but never even realized it was there. It's so unassuming and dive-y, that it's easy to miss, but stopping in is definitely worth your time. We've ordered takeout a few times and eaten in a few times already, and it's never really disappointed. The staff has always been really attentive and nice when dining in, and takeout has always satisfied...even when they gave me the wrong hoagie once, it was delicious enough to forgive them. Their chicken parm hoagies and dinner are both excellent, and the dinner is big enough to eat family-style. Good luck finding food in those portions, with that flavor, for under $11 somewhere else. The housemade Italian dressing is phenomenal, and should seriously be bottled and sold. We've only tried the white pizza so far, but it was delicious. I've had the Italian hoagie and cheese steak hoagie, as well. Both were good...although I used their Italian dressing on the Italian hoagie, which almost isn't fair, since that stuff could make anything amazing. If you're looking for a place to get a good hoagie, pizza, or simple Italian meal that's so reasonably-priced you feel like you're ripping Big Jim off, this is the place.
(4)
Melissa W.
Well. Most of what I have to say has been said. It's in an odd area. While some people thought it was "shady", I really thought nothing of it. It's tucked under a bridge (overpass?) in a fairly residential area. Doesn't look like much from the outside. I went for lunch during a weekday. I was the only one in the place. The decor was pretty plain. Big long bar, some seating in there, and then another room of seating as well. My waitress was very very nice. I didn't get her name. The food is so cheap! I ordered an order of the provolone sticks and a half of the chicken parm sandwich (see photo). Now, I don't know whether it was because I was extremely hungry, but that chicken parm was probably up there with the top 3 chicken parm sandwiches that I've had in my life. They toasted the hoagie, which I think made a real difference. God, I'm getting hungry thinking about it.
(4)
Faith A.
I had first heard about Big Jim's from my brother because he had seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (this is pathetic as I live so incredibly close to it). We then saw it on triple D and were intrigued so after finally make plans to go, we just did so tonight. Despite the dive-y appearance, I have to say there is nothing about Big Jim's that I did not love. We were promptly greeted by a server, sat in the bar area (where less minors seem to dine so that makes it more enjoyable for adults without children), and were greeted with waters and asked if we had any questions. So far so good. On the menu for us tonight was Provolone sticks, wedding soup, Chicken Parm dinner, and Chicken Parm hoagie. Holy cow was it a ton of food!!!! The wedding soup was good (no noodles though), the italian dressing on the house salad that came with the Chix parm dinner was AMAZING. Seriously some of the best dressing I have ever had. My husband enjoyed the sticks and the hoagie as well. A++++++! For $31 and some change (that included an alcoholic beverage as well), you cannot go wrong here. The chix parm dinner will easily be another meal for one of us as well. Not the classiest looking of places but if you are the type of person who appreciates good food in a laid back environment, you will love Big Jim's :)
(4)
Joe D.
Really Guy? You endorsed this place on Triple D? You put your reputation on the line and did a segment on Big Jim's? I wasn't impressed with the food at all. The service was worse. I ordered a half veggie hoagy and a bowl of vegetable soup. My friend Ross ordered a small pizza and a bowl of wedding soup. I was sipping on a pretty good Rooney pale ale which was the best part of the meal. A little while later our soup came in cups. We told the bartender we ordered bowls. Oops. I was fighting a cold and a nice hot bowl of vegetable soup would hit the spot. Still waiting for the soup, out came the pizza, looked good, tons of cheese and pepperoni, and my veggie hoagy. My order was wrong again, I ordered a half and they gave me a whole Hoagy. No biggie, I'll take the other half home for a midnight snack. Still no sign of the soup! It was a pretty unremarkable hoagy. Lots of flavorless lettuce, green peppers, onion, and huge unchewable chunks of carrots, and worse, it was cold. I Was kind of hoping for some eggplant, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini, you know a real veggie hoagy with some flavor and texture. Oh we'll, live and learn. Still no soup! Finally the bartender was finished watching TV and saw we were both out of beer, and I asked about the soup, he apologized and said he forgot. I said to Ross, I guess he must make a good hourly wage because he's not working for a good tip. Finally our soup was delivered and I pushed away that lousy hoagy and dived into soup. I blew on the spoonful of soup and Ross said "you don't have to do that, it's cold." Damn! With a half eaten hoagy and a full bowl of soup sitting there, I asked for the check and paid and left. Never again Big Jim, never again! Guy, you lost points on this call.
(1)
Jennifer R.
I went to Big Jims while on vacation. The calzone was the size of a small child and fed all 6 people at our table. Everything we had was friggin delicious... My friends and I still talk about this place often. Go, you won't regret it!
(4)
William M.
If you're looking for good, old-fashioned Italian 'food' served in heaping mounds for a reasonable price - Big Jim's should be THE place to go. I first learned of Big Jim's many, many years ago, when a friend introduced me to this hidden gem. Some changes have been made since that era, but nothing for the worse. They used to be a very closed-in smoking establishment, but the new laws have stopped that, and the result is that you can eat without watching the nicotine drip from the walls. I'm a smoker, but the atmosphere used to be even too thick for me to fully enjoy. But even then, the food made it worth the trip. Big Jim's is a divey bar/restaurant tucked into a hidden corner of Greenfield that they call 'the run'. It is by far, nothing fancy. Wood paneled walls, framed tacky prints bearing scenes of Italy occasionally, or scenes of the burgh. Truly, nothing to look at. TVs dot the rooms, usually playing local news, or of course, da game - whichever one happens to be playing. The service can be hit or miss - we're not talking high end customer service here. You may get an attitude from someone who looks like a mobile home park escapee, or you might get just efficient cordial service from someone who looks like a college student that Starbuck's wouldn't hire. But really, that's not even important in this setting. The gold mine that Big Jim's offers is very good food in jumbo portions, and at a truly reasonable price. I've taken several out of towners to Big Jim's and rarely have they not gone home with leftovers in a take out box. The pasta dishes are tasty and large, and most meals come with a side salad, or other side of your choice. Order something like lasagna or chicken or eggplant parmigiana, and you're either a Hoover in disguise, or you're taking some home. The last time I visited, I saw a VERY large man in a Pitt sports outfit at the next table order a calzone. It took a while to arrive, but when it did, the man's eyes nearly bugged out. And he was a BIG football player type. The calzone truly looked like a large pizza folded in half. This ginormous sports machine - took half home. The appetizers are good. I recommend the fried zucchini planks, but everything I've had has been plentiful and tasty. I've eaten the lasagna (took half home) chicken parmigiana (took half home), eggplant parmigiana (took half home), the linguini with white clam sauce (ok, ate all of that), hot sandwiches, and more, and I've never been unfulfilled or disappointed. They have gnocchi in a red sauce (I swear they used to have it in a creamy cheese sauce, but that seems to have disappeared from the menu - shame too, it was yum), and even have things for the non-Italian people, like cheesesteak sandwiches, open faced roast beef and fries smothered with gravy. Once again I say - I am NOT a 'foodie'. I like FOOD. And Big Jim's is a place that can fill you up and not rip you off. Two enormous entrees usually coming with a side, a soda, an appetizer or two, and a meal for the next day's lunch - the bill usually comes to just under $30. It's a hidden gem - so get out your mapquest or GPS - and find it!
(4)
Jennifer V.
Actually, more like a 2.5. We left a bit disappointed. We make it a point to hit some Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives when we're on vacation with the kids, and agree with the previous reviewer the Guy missed the mark on this one. While the portions are "generous" to say the least, the food was only "good." My husband and I split the Chicken Parm Hoagie...good, not great. The standout of this sandwich was the hoagie roll...it was amazing. To accompany the sandwich I ordered a dinner salad, my husband the wedding soup. Again, good not great. My son ordered the roast beef and au jus sandwich. Like our sandwich it was enormous and served on an awesome roll, but the awesome stopped there. It was really bland, and the au jus, even more so. However our little one ordered buttered noodles and was pleased as punch. For what's worth, the old school, off the beaten path character of the building was kind of charming. But you can't eat that. If your goal is a lot of food at a cheap price, this is your stop. If you're looking for an "off the hook" dining experience, drive on.
(2)
Matt K.
I went to this place a few times as a kid and didn't think much of it. Just a few months back my wife and I were watching "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives" on Food Network and Big Jim's was featured. The wife and I decided we would pay a visit on our next trip to Pittsburgh. We stopped in for lunch and got our eat on. It's probably not good for you to eat here too often, but it was fun for lunch. It definitely falls in the "Dives" category of Guy Fieri's show. My mom and wife split a chicken parm sandwich (photo attached). My bro-in-law had a meatball hoagie (also photo attached). I had the Italian hoagie and we also split some fries with sides of cheese and gravy. Everything was sinfully tasty. We rolled out the door to the car and went home and napped.
(4)
Kim K.
Mixed emotions here... Saw the episode on DDD's. Got there about 6:00 on a Saturday night. Went inside to give our name and it was chaotic. I asked a server if we could put our name in & she said we had to give it to some guy- wht? I am not a local and didn't know what she was talking about. Finally put our name in. We had about 30 minute wait and there really wasn't anywhere to wait- it was cold outside. People were coming & going and we were in everyone's way. My daughter & I ordered a reuben to share. My other daughter opted for the veggie calzone. Service was crazy slow & the waitress warned us that the calzone would take 30 minutes. We agreed... 65 minutes later she told us it was almost ready. I was annoyed and she got defensive. She said, "I told you it would take 30 minutes". I replied with, "yes, but not over an hour!". She didn't care. The calzone was enough for 4 people. The reuben would have been ok for one person so there portions didn't seem consistent. If in the area, I would give it another try.
(3)
Brom L.
I went here after seeing that it had been on one of the TV shows. Service was nice and friendly but... I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, with great expectations. I didn't find much flavor in the sauce OR the meatballs and, when it came time to get the bill, "something" crawled up on my table - maybe it wanted to pay for my dinner but I still proceeded to 'make it go away' with a napkin. I spared the nice waitress any details, just paid and left with no plans of going back... (There is a cool little walking path from the restaurant all the way to Carnegie Mellon.)
(2)
Will B.
Big Jim's on the Run. What to say about this place. Well it was on Dinners Drive-ins and Dives and I thought it was just OK. Sure you can order a huge double decker veal parmesan but it was just OK. The sandwich was served on a half loaf and it was toasted so it was hard as a rock and had to be smashed down causing a plate full of crumbs and crusty bits. The restaurant is nothing more than a dirty outdated dive bar with sloppy looking employees that don't wear any type of uniform or matching clothing. It's hard to tell who works there and who is just someone trying to get a meal. I don't mean to be hating but I went there once and haven't really wanted or felt the need to go back. So 3 stars for delivering something good but over all the large portions and TV fame wasn't enough to get me back in the door a second time.
(3)
Jackie T.
Price: can't beat it - we had a huge feast for 3 for less than $50. Service: friendly but slow. Italian wedding soup: good but I hardly had any meatballs in my cup. Pizza: only thing good about it was the sauce. Fries with gravy: one of my favorite apps that we tried. Jumbo wings: the hot ones are made with red hot and butter which is always good. Lots of meat on them too. Chicken parmesan sandwich: one of the best I've had anywhere. Very moist chicken. Fish sandwich: okay but not my favorite. Overall, I'd give this place 3 stars but would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a cheap night out with decent food (or great food if you order the chicken parm sandwich).
(3)
Margaret Z.
Would have liked to give this place a 3 1/2, but it isn't a 4. The portions are huge. I recommend splitting dishes. The Veal Parm was 2 BIG veal cutlets. The service was good and the food is mediocre. It's dark inside and I wouldn't go for ambience. The restaurant itself is in a rougher area of town.
(3)
RONALD W.
A first class neighborhood restaurant and bar. Extensive menu of hoagies, sandwiches, burgers, and some Italian pasta dishes. For most folks, I would recommend bringing a friend or love one and sharing an entree and a side. The sandwiches are very big. I had the veal parmigiana sandwich plus fried mushrooms and ended up with half in a carryout container. Other than being huge, my sandwich came in first class crusty, toasty italian bread. Very, very tasty! Parking behind the restaurant.
(4)
Kara L.
This place is amazing! Every single time I come here I am never disappointed. Not only do you get what you pay for, plus more, it is really good food! The menu may seem like any other place with the items listed, but they bring something special to the table every time. The area is a little weird & parking isn't ideal, but with the service / food, I don't mind a bit!
(5)
Doreen L.
Being from New York, I have been to my fair share of dives, dumps and greasy spoons. Being that I was in the Pittsburgh area, I figured I'd give this hole-in-the-wall a try, especially since Guy Fieri recommended it (although I am starting to doubt his taste because, frankly, all his suggestions have blown thus far). We get here and it's confusing from the start. The guy from the back (does he cook the food? wash the dishes?) seats us in the dark bar area. He asks us what we want to drink and tells someone to get us Diet Pepsi (we ordered regular Pepsi). We get the menus and I was tempted to get out a flashlight just to read it. In the meantime, a waitress comes over and asks us what we want to drink. We tell her Pepsi. She walks off. Someone else comes over and puts down two Pepsi glasses. Then she walks over with two more. Looks like there is no communication here - or light fixtures. Looking at the expansive menu, we decide to check Yelp on our phones for other reviewer's suggestions before ordering. We've done it before and it's worked. Unfortunately, this gets us a rude comment from a guy who is now our server (yep, we have now had three people "serve" us). He snaps at us, asking if we're texting or if we're ready. Well, excuse me, Mr. Sassy Pants. I was actually looking for what to order in this dump, if you don't mind. Not wanting to ruin what is supposed to be a fun experience, we politely order our meals. I get the chicken sandwich, he gets the roast beef au jus. A whole HALF HOUR later, our magical sandwich creations come out from the kitchen. One look at these things, and you'd ask yourself, What the hell took so damn long? My sandwich was the most uninspired thing I've seen in a long time. It was a big slab of chicken breast thrown in between a hamburger bun, with an un-melted slice of American cheese, uncooked green peppers and a spoonful of grilled onions. Half of it tasted like chicken -- the other half tasted burnt and like an old oven. His sandwich was no better - but it came with burnt, hard and cold french fries that a dog would sneer its nose at. Needless to say, the food was terrible. I don't care about the "large portions" and "everything is made on the premises" bullsh** - this food is barely edible. Like I said, I get that this place has "character" and it's dirty on purpose which adds to its charm but I'm sorry, you aren't winning me over on that load of horse apples. Take your character and shove it where the sun don't shine - which just so happens to be the dark dining room at Big Jim's.
(1)
Jarrett H.
One of my favorite things I've ever heard Guy Fieri say is "If you're from Pittsburgh, you've heard of 'The Run'". Guy, I had not heard of the run, and I have yet to meet anyone that, prior to going to Big Jim's, has heard of The Run either(Except for my one friend's grandma). However, I'll not forget The Run - a small stretch in Greenfield near the South Side Works involving a baseball field that has housed this place since 1977 - after having come to Big Jim's. Big Jim's is full of cheap,largely-portioned food that I think is characteristic of this area. Little flair, decent flavor, no funny business. Enter and take your pick of the dining room or the bar area. There may be a wait(I've been here once or twice with a line out the door, mostly during games. Go another time and you're good to sit just about anywhere). The crowd is a good mix - neighbors, locals, Pitt students. The menu is a selection of mostly fried appetizers, sandwiches, hoagies, some Italian specialties, and pizza. My favorite item to get here is definitely the veggie hoagie. So simple: Good bread, provalone cheese, brocolli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, carrots, thrown in the oven until the veggies are roasted(Add mayo for me, of course... And sometimes a little ketchup :). This thing tastes amazing, and while I could probably down a full one, I prefer to share it with a side of some kind of appetizer. The spaghetti here is also pretty good, and I've had the eggplant parmesian and it was decent. The entrees will net you garlic bread and spaghetti and a salad, large portions of everything, so don't attempt them alone. Now all that being said, I do have a few gripes about this place - Number one being that the service is slow. My order usually takes about 20-30 minutes to come back to me, which for a hoagie is kind of crazy in my opinion. The staff is friendly and it's hard to get upset, just don't come here for a 'quick' bite. My other gripe is that while some of the menu is definitely home cookin', other parts of the menu are definitely not, so buyer beware. My girlfriend ordered the applesauce once($1.50) and about 15 minutes later(but well before the rest of our food came) the waitress handed her a generic plastic cup of applesauce, not even opened. I mean come on, at least put the stuff in a dish. But what are you gonna do. The veggie hoagie is too good to pass up. Just accept the stuff for what it is, and don't try and go on the edge of this place's comfort zone. Stick to what they do best and you won't be disappointed.
(4)
James G.
It's not a Diner, It's not a Drive-In..... Big Jim's would need sprucing up to be a Dive! If you saw this place on TV (and let's face it, that's the only way anybody from outside this secret hideaway neighborhood would find this place) keep your TV romantic notions about it and stay home. We did have the things they featured on the DDD show and they were (looking for a kind word here) ....awful. The Italian Wedding Soup (normally a favorite of mine) had mystery meat and an over-abundance of salt. The Veal Parmigana Sandwich looked so obscenely large that we opted for the Veal Parmigana Plate with spaghetti. They certainly give you quantity over quality here. The Veal was pounded so thin, and then fried long enough to come out resembling two soles of a lost pair of shoes, and harder to chew. The pasta was overcooked (but plenty of it!) with a bland tomato sauce that seemed canned (I know, the TV shows them making it from scratch). They packed the place for the TV show, but you'll have no trouble getting a table. We sat by the bar, so there was an abundance of TV and butt-crack visible from our table. The pizza my partner had is about the only passable thing there was to eat here. This place is so far out of the way, and so hard to find that our GPS threw a tantrum. It was a huge disappointment, and I blame Fieri for that.
(1)
Jason F.
I ate here this past Friday with my girlfriend for dinner. We decided to come here after randomly seeing it featured on a repeat of Guy Fieri's Diners Drive-Ins And Dives earlier in the week. The outside is not too much to look at but the inside is comfortable. Appropriately we were seated right underneath a Guy Fieri poster that proclaimed that the Veal Parmigiana "as big as yer head". As you would expect with food that large it seemed that everyone that was leaving the restaurant had a to-go box. We knew from the episode that they make their wedding soup from scratch daily and so started off with a cup of that. It had a good taste to it and had much more chicken flavor than most wedding soups that I have had in the past. The escarole as a green was also pretty nice. For my entree I decided on having the Veal Parmigiana sandwich as I wanted to see how big it actually was while my girlfriend decided upon the lasagna. Both portions were quite large with the sandwich being as large as advertised and I have a picture to prove it! It actually ended up being so big that I could not possibly fit my mouth around it. So I ended up taking off the top which essentially made it into two open faced sandwiches. The bread was crispy while the veal was fried nicely and the sauce and cheese complimented the rest nicely. My only complaint with it is that it was a bit dry and I think that some more sauce could have been helpful with that. Even so, the half of the sandwich that I ate tasted good. My girlfriends lasagna also seemed to be a super sized portion as it filled up her whole plate. It had a lot of ricotta cheese in it which helped to give it an overall flavor that I enjoyed. Like almost everyone else that I saw, we ended up leaving with some to-go boxes as I still had half of my sandwich left and my girlfriend half of her lasagna. The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here again in the future. It was a cool little place in which you definitely get a huge portion size for your money and the food is pretty good too!
(4)
Beth B.
Amid the modern scene of strip mall restaurant chains and tired cliches masquerading as innovative establishments, Big Jim's is a refreshing surprise. For those of us who were children in the 70s or 80s, a visit to Big Jim's becomes a bit of a time warp back to childhood. It's divey, dark, and the decor probably hasn't changed since the place opened in 1977. In other words, it's pretty freaking awesome. If time warping to the late 70s isn't enough for you, how about giant portions of delicious comfort food? Bring your appetite and a friend. The meals here are immense. My husband, 3-year-old daughter, and I all shared a chicken parm sandwich and I still had a little piece of my portion to bring home. The chicken was tender and generously topped with flavorful marinara and melted cheese. Oh, and the bread. Can't forget the bread. The sandwich is served on a crusty half loaf of delicious Italian bread. Overall, I think this place is great. Bear in mind that the criticisms of other reviewers - digs about the decor or the uniforms - were positive in my book. I love that this place has likely never been renovated. If it were to be renovated, I probably would never go back. I like time travel. Oh, and as a side note, Big Jim's was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Take that as you will. If you pride yourself on visiting places that are featured on television shows, then put this on your list. If not, still put this restaurant your list because it's a funky place straight out of the 70s with excellent food. Happy time traveling!
(5)
Lauren M.
Love their calzones and eggplant parm. The staff is always nice an friendly. Great place to grab and beer and watch the game. Not the fanciest place in the burgh but they don't pretend to be either. Just a good old fashioned Pgh bar with great food and nice people.
(4)
Chris K.
Hard to find, but worth the effort. Try the DDD faves! The meatball sandwich is the best I've ever had!
(5)
John L.
Tried it based on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives...1st time the program has let us down. Definitely a dump. Salad - old wilted lettuce. Ordered the chicken parm. Portion was immense, but the taste really poor. And the pasta was overcooked. Overall - not good.
(2)
Kaleigh L.
Everything is amazing here. Super friendly staff, huge portions, relaxed atmosphere and good prices. I have never had a bad meal or bad experience here. I suggest the Chicken and Meatball Parm dinners. Amazing. Their sandwiches and hoagies are also fantastic. You cant get a bad meal here and if you leave hungry, it's definitely your fault!
(5)
Darren W.
My dad lived in Greenfield for a time during his reckless, Dead End Kids youth and for years has spoken well of Big Jim's and of the godlike sandwiches they serve. Watching it become nationally famous through Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" was exciting, surreal, and made me all the more anxious to stop by. Shockingly, Kay had this place bookmarked for months! The other night, we decided to put off a visit no longer. Unassuming during the day, ominous after dark, Big Jim's occupies a building that sits below a poorly-lit underpass in a portion of the neighborhood known as "The Run." When you walk in, however, you are greeted graciously like a longtime friend and fed lovingly with hefty helpings of food that runs the gamut from bar and diner fare to good old Sunday evening homestyle cooking. It was the latter path that Kay chose with her Italian Wedding Soup and Hot Roast Beef Sandwich entree. The sandwich was a mountain of beef, bread, gravy, and fries that poor Kay only halfway finished. Dad recommended either the Italian Hoagie or the Bacon Burger. Thankfully, I listened to reason and didn't attempt to devour both, so I just went with the burger and was rewarded with an archetypal patty that was burly, copiously juicy, criminally fresh, and sublimely cooked to my specifications. In fact, EVERYTHING about this burger was open-faced perfection, from the veggies and sharp, solid, chilly, dill pickle to a bun so blessedly baked and brand-new, my imagination led me to believe that it had sprung from the ovens of Shangri-La. All hail Big Jim's Bacon Burger. Its place in the pantheon has been quickly secured. However, their fries, served in an insurmountable heap along with all else on their menu, need work. Brown, greasy, and limp, I've honestly had better fries at Eat N Park. I coulda, shoulda ordered onion rings. Oy. Remember kids, cut them fresh, change the oil regularly, fry them twice. The atmosphere was very casual, talkative, and family-oriented, and the service was friendly, speedy, and graceful; our waiter didn't miss a beat in spite of how busy the restaurant was. I'll certainly be back for that Italian Hoagie. Until then... P.S. Who didn't know that a framed picture of Guy Fieri would be on the wall?
(4)
October R.
I love Big Jim's! The staff are always personable and the food is always fantastic! Everything is made to order; pizzas, Stromboli, and calzones take about 30 minutes (be patient, it's worth the wait). The portions are gigantic so you 'll be able to take something home for later. My boyfriend and I come here often; he is a creature of habit and always orders the 2 bill sandwich (a reuben plus a fried egg), I on the other hand like to switch things up. I've had the gardenburger (they'll ask what you want on it), the alfredo is amazing, eggplant parm is pretty standard but still delicious and a veggie stromboli (I could only eat half and I have a pretty healthy appetite). The french fries are thin and get cold fast so eat 'em first There is something for everyone to enjoy, even vegetarians!!
(5)
Drew H.
Solid three stars and as others have said it's 100% a dive. Had chicken parm dinner and some meatballs on the side. The parm was right around average and the meatballs were definitely below par. However, for the price and the amount of food you get there is definitely good value for the money, but not somewhere that I have to rush back to next time I'm in Pittsburgh.
(3)
Bob K.
I do not even know where to start. I worked here when Big Jim and Joyce were here. I do not live in Pittsburgh any more and only get back once every 3-4 years. First look it's still the same. But this place is DIRTY. From the front cash register to the pictures in the back dining area. Had the wedding soup that hasn't changed flavorful more veggies and meat than broth as Jim and Joyce always liked it. Fried zucchini was really greasy and the marinara was In a plastic cup. I know it's not fine dining but that was never done. Spaghetti and meat sauce. That was very watery but nicely cooked pasta. Garlic bread was hard as rocks but the watery sauce softened it up. They need to shut down for a week and paint and clean. Staff was just OK, not outstanding as has been in the past. No pride in the work. This hurts my heart it write this review. But the truth is the truth and it's time to face it.
(1)
Miriam M.
Delicious!!! Home cooking in a down-to-earth dive. Exactly what I was expecting...excellent food, generous portions and more than reasonable prices. How often can you say you've been to a place where you're satisfied in your belly and happy with the price you paid? The Italian wedding soup was homemade and incredibly tasty. Don't expect a fancy presentation, but know you're getting homemade soup. The salads leave much to be desired, but the house made Italian dressing made me gobble up the lettuce adorned with two olives and one cherry tomato. On to the main dish--definitely order the veal parmigiana dinner AND the meatballs with spaghetti. The veal was hot and fresh! Meatballs were moist and jumbo sized. We truly enjoyed our meal. Actually, we were curious to try dessert--but the server informed us that they don't offer any sweets because no one can ever finish their plate!!! Love it and will definitely be back!!! Thanks Guy Fieri!!!
(4)
Debby R.
Did not disappoint the veal parm sandwich IS as big as your head and is enough for 3 meals. Is also delicious, the fresh cut fries with beef gravy were perfect! Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful well worth the visit
(4)
Kara L.
This place is amazing! Every single time I come here I am never disappointed. Not only do you get what you pay for, plus more, it is really good food! The menu may seem like any other place with the items listed, but they bring something special to the table every time. The area is a little weird & parking isn't ideal, but with the service / food, I don't mind a bit!
(5)
Andrew K.
Big Jim's is an unassuming restaurant in an unassuming neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Most people don't know where "the run" is or where lower greenfield is. Big Jim's makes it worth investigating. This is place is the quintessential Pittsburgh dive, but the red Italian is amazeballs. We split a bowl of the wedding soup with was easily the best version that I have ever had. The escarole really makes it. I had the chicken parmesan dinner. The included salad was forgettable but the entree was great. Large crisp chicken breast smothered in a borderline inappropriate amount of cheese. I got the pasta and it was a little overcooked but serviceable. My meal was large enough to split with someone but what came next was just downright dirty. The calzone is at Big Jim's is ridiculous. It needs to come with a warning other than that it takes 45 minutes. I am not kidding these calzones could double as tomatoey warming blankets for italian newborns. My wife and I couldn't come close to finish this. As for the service, I would like to call it, Pittsburgh friendly. Meaning that in any other city you would assume your server was rude and incompetent but in Pittsburgh it is normal. Just now what you want before your server gets there. Bottom line, this place is a dive in the BEST way. Take the time to get to the run.
(4)
Gail B.
The place doesn't look the best but food is excellent and the service is fantastic! My husband always gets pizza or open face roast beef n gravy. I get lasagna (which gives me 3meals) or a sandwich. My granddaughter's love to go there. They get there own personal pizza which is huge. Big Jim's was also on "Diners, Drive in and Dives". Guy showed the spaghetti being made, he gave the recipe. Also, I forgot to mention they have the best wedding soup in Pittsburgh.
(5)
Spencer K.
You feel at home when you enter this restaurant. Stained green carpet and large portions reminds you of dinner at grandmas. My first time at Jim's was on a freezing Pittsburgh night. As I walked into this famed restaurant I was met with the specials scrawled on a chalkboard. After being quickly seated I ordered a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings and it was hot and delicious. After that, I ordered the fries with gravy and the veal parmigiana sandwich. The sandwich was huge (big enough that two grown men shared it as a meal) and the fries were crispy with a delicious brown gravy. Overall, I was very satisfied with my meal, the atmosphere and the people at Big Jim's!
(4)
Gilles D.
Came here on my wife's whim, will be coming back for sure. We started with the eggplant parm appetizer and when it came out I thought it was mistakenly an entree. Nope it is just huge! And delicious. I got the large fish sandwich which is not a misnomer. Two giant fillets on a bun, I didn't even make it to the bun before I was full!!! The staff was great, nice little atmosphere and for the price I do not think you can beat the portions anywhere in the city.
(5)
Kelsey R.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN PITTSBURGH. Their calzones are seriously twice as big as my head. They're huge! Great, quality Italian and comfort food at incredible prices. Usually packed with locals, a little divey... Love it!
(5)
Keven K.
We had a group of 11, including 3 kids. I had seen this featured on food networks DDD with guy fieri, and combined with a strong yelp rating, figured this was worth a stop. We had an afternoon game at consol energy center so this place was 8 minutes from the arena. The portions are beyond enormous--is there a word for that? Our tale had Stromboli, which could have fed 3. Kids had the children's pasta which was way too much for any kid, but ok. I had he meatball sub half size, which was fine. Pizza was quite good too. I think everyone was very satisfied, and filled, by their meal. Prices are very reasonable. The service was good. I had read, and heard, that service was either a nightmare or good. We lucked out as our server was very attentive and happy to split our group into 3 checks. We got there at 430 on a Saturday, I had called the day before since we were a large group. Not many tables full at 430, but by 530 there was a wait at the door. Great stop!
(4)
T-Bone R.
What you see is what you get. A dive serving mediocre food in large portions. The wedding soup was ok but a tad salty. The pasta dishes were decent but was a little bland. Good red sauce and respectable meatballs. The veal parm sandwich was epic huge but also a little bland. The staff were very friendly. Not a bad stop, but not a DDD winner.
(3)
Zach C.
Saw Big Jims on Diners Drive ins and Dives and after reading the yelp reviews had to try it. I walked in was surprised by how crowded it was on a sunday especially in its location ( not off a busy highway and if you weren't looking for it most likely wouldn't just stumble upon it) I ordered a veal parm sandwich which i heard was the speciality. Bread was a nice italian loaf and was perfect for this sandwich. Sauce was really good, not that much cheese on the sandwich, which i like. The veal was breaded really well not to thick and chunky but rather nice and light. They give you tons of veal on the sandwich. Overall, I really liked the sandwich and it was huge and good BUT there was deff. something missing. There wasn't a hug WOW to it... but it was really good. just didn't blow me away.
(4)
Thomas M.
Im a fan, my brother and I had sandwiches, big Jim's reuben. This monster sandwich is every bit what you want. Authentic, divey, tasty, grilled to perfection. Take it home and save it for later. Get on board at Jims
(4)
Manfred F.
My favorite greasy spoon in the burgh. Portions are large, the meatball sandwich is the bomb. Burgers are great and the pizza is homemade tasty. They carry a fine selection of bottled beer, domestic and imported. If you're hungry this is the place to go. Down to earth dining!
(5)
Mary G.
Huge portions, great prices, and friendly faces. I recommend the veal parm sandwich
(4)
Scott B.
Since I have family that lives down the street, I have been coming to Big Jim's for over 20 years. I used to really enjoy coming here but stopped visiting several years ago. Although the food was always good, the place was getting dirtier every time I was there. Yesterday my wife and I decided to stop for lunch. I figured that the place was probably cleaned up since the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives episode. After being seated, I wanted to leave. To be honest, I don't know why I stayed. Nothing had changed. In fact I think it got worse. The floor was filthy. There was food under tables that looked like it was there for days. Remember, I was here for lunch and they just opened. The tables and chairs in the dining room looked as though they were purchased at a yard sale. Very old and falling apart. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the service and food was good. I had an Italian hoagie and my wife had a salad. Both tasted good but I really couldn't enjoy it. I kept thinking that if the dining room was this dirty, what is the kitchen like?
(2)
Harry M.
We went around lunchtime, but it wasn't very busy. Service was relatively quick and attentive. The waitress didn't mind that I was using my iPhone at the table, either. She also complemented me on the jersey I was wearing - of course, we were both wearing Crosby jerseys! I had a full meatball hoagie. It was delicious. The cheese was oozing onto the plate, the meatballs were tasty and the meat sauce on it was great. Someone mentioned an odd taste to it - I think it's the pork that's in the meat sauce. My girlfriend got a full chicken parm as well. I gave that a taste and the chicken was almost better than the meatballs! It was excellent. I highly recommend going here.
(5)
Jim A.
Big Jim's is something from the past, if you are looking for those Pittsburgh restaurants from yesteryear then you are in luck with Big Jim's. The gf and I went here for Dinner one night on a Monday at 6pm and this place was packed. She got the reuben, which had homemade russian dressing made with bread & butter pickles, (not my cup of tea), but still very tasty. I indulged in the chicken parm sandwich, which I found out later that the veal parm is the way to go, but nonetheless the chicken parm sammy was very good. We also had onion rings, which were run of the mill. But all in all for two gigantic sandwiches, onion rings and 3 beers for under $30 is a great deal.
(4)
Will H.
With so many new semi-pretentious restaurants opening in Pittsburgh, it's nice that we finally discovered Big Jim's, making it "new" to us! It took me nearly six years of living in PIttsburgh, but I may have finally found that go-to, no-frills Italian restaurant that suits our laid back attitudes and selective palates. I've ran, biked, and driven past Big Jims over and over throughout the years, but never even realized it was there. It's so unassuming and dive-y, that it's easy to miss, but stopping in is definitely worth your time. We've ordered takeout a few times and eaten in a few times already, and it's never really disappointed. The staff has always been really attentive and nice when dining in, and takeout has always satisfied...even when they gave me the wrong hoagie once, it was delicious enough to forgive them. Their chicken parm hoagies and dinner are both excellent, and the dinner is big enough to eat family-style. Good luck finding food in those portions, with that flavor, for under $11 somewhere else. The housemade Italian dressing is phenomenal, and should seriously be bottled and sold. We've only tried the white pizza so far, but it was delicious. I've had the Italian hoagie and cheese steak hoagie, as well. Both were good...although I used their Italian dressing on the Italian hoagie, which almost isn't fair, since that stuff could make anything amazing. If you're looking for a place to get a good hoagie, pizza, or simple Italian meal that's so reasonably-priced you feel like you're ripping Big Jim off, this is the place.
(4)
Melissa W.
Well. Most of what I have to say has been said. It's in an odd area. While some people thought it was "shady", I really thought nothing of it. It's tucked under a bridge (overpass?) in a fairly residential area. Doesn't look like much from the outside. I went for lunch during a weekday. I was the only one in the place. The decor was pretty plain. Big long bar, some seating in there, and then another room of seating as well. My waitress was very very nice. I didn't get her name. The food is so cheap! I ordered an order of the provolone sticks and a half of the chicken parm sandwich (see photo). Now, I don't know whether it was because I was extremely hungry, but that chicken parm was probably up there with the top 3 chicken parm sandwiches that I've had in my life. They toasted the hoagie, which I think made a real difference. God, I'm getting hungry thinking about it.
(4)
Faith A.
I had first heard about Big Jim's from my brother because he had seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (this is pathetic as I live so incredibly close to it). We then saw it on triple D and were intrigued so after finally make plans to go, we just did so tonight. Despite the dive-y appearance, I have to say there is nothing about Big Jim's that I did not love. We were promptly greeted by a server, sat in the bar area (where less minors seem to dine so that makes it more enjoyable for adults without children), and were greeted with waters and asked if we had any questions. So far so good. On the menu for us tonight was Provolone sticks, wedding soup, Chicken Parm dinner, and Chicken Parm hoagie. Holy cow was it a ton of food!!!! The wedding soup was good (no noodles though), the italian dressing on the house salad that came with the Chix parm dinner was AMAZING. Seriously some of the best dressing I have ever had. My husband enjoyed the sticks and the hoagie as well. A++++++! For $31 and some change (that included an alcoholic beverage as well), you cannot go wrong here. The chix parm dinner will easily be another meal for one of us as well. Not the classiest looking of places but if you are the type of person who appreciates good food in a laid back environment, you will love Big Jim's :)
(4)
Joe D.
Really Guy? You endorsed this place on Triple D? You put your reputation on the line and did a segment on Big Jim's? I wasn't impressed with the food at all. The service was worse. I ordered a half veggie hoagy and a bowl of vegetable soup. My friend Ross ordered a small pizza and a bowl of wedding soup. I was sipping on a pretty good Rooney pale ale which was the best part of the meal. A little while later our soup came in cups. We told the bartender we ordered bowls. Oops. I was fighting a cold and a nice hot bowl of vegetable soup would hit the spot. Still waiting for the soup, out came the pizza, looked good, tons of cheese and pepperoni, and my veggie hoagy. My order was wrong again, I ordered a half and they gave me a whole Hoagy. No biggie, I'll take the other half home for a midnight snack. Still no sign of the soup! It was a pretty unremarkable hoagy. Lots of flavorless lettuce, green peppers, onion, and huge unchewable chunks of carrots, and worse, it was cold. I Was kind of hoping for some eggplant, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini, you know a real veggie hoagy with some flavor and texture. Oh we'll, live and learn. Still no soup! Finally the bartender was finished watching TV and saw we were both out of beer, and I asked about the soup, he apologized and said he forgot. I said to Ross, I guess he must make a good hourly wage because he's not working for a good tip. Finally our soup was delivered and I pushed away that lousy hoagy and dived into soup. I blew on the spoonful of soup and Ross said "you don't have to do that, it's cold." Damn! With a half eaten hoagy and a full bowl of soup sitting there, I asked for the check and paid and left. Never again Big Jim, never again! Guy, you lost points on this call.
(1)
Jennifer R.
I went to Big Jims while on vacation. The calzone was the size of a small child and fed all 6 people at our table. Everything we had was friggin delicious... My friends and I still talk about this place often. Go, you won't regret it!
(4)
William M.
If you're looking for good, old-fashioned Italian 'food' served in heaping mounds for a reasonable price - Big Jim's should be THE place to go. I first learned of Big Jim's many, many years ago, when a friend introduced me to this hidden gem. Some changes have been made since that era, but nothing for the worse. They used to be a very closed-in smoking establishment, but the new laws have stopped that, and the result is that you can eat without watching the nicotine drip from the walls. I'm a smoker, but the atmosphere used to be even too thick for me to fully enjoy. But even then, the food made it worth the trip. Big Jim's is a divey bar/restaurant tucked into a hidden corner of Greenfield that they call 'the run'. It is by far, nothing fancy. Wood paneled walls, framed tacky prints bearing scenes of Italy occasionally, or scenes of the burgh. Truly, nothing to look at. TVs dot the rooms, usually playing local news, or of course, da game - whichever one happens to be playing. The service can be hit or miss - we're not talking high end customer service here. You may get an attitude from someone who looks like a mobile home park escapee, or you might get just efficient cordial service from someone who looks like a college student that Starbuck's wouldn't hire. But really, that's not even important in this setting. The gold mine that Big Jim's offers is very good food in jumbo portions, and at a truly reasonable price. I've taken several out of towners to Big Jim's and rarely have they not gone home with leftovers in a take out box. The pasta dishes are tasty and large, and most meals come with a side salad, or other side of your choice. Order something like lasagna or chicken or eggplant parmigiana, and you're either a Hoover in disguise, or you're taking some home. The last time I visited, I saw a VERY large man in a Pitt sports outfit at the next table order a calzone. It took a while to arrive, but when it did, the man's eyes nearly bugged out. And he was a BIG football player type. The calzone truly looked like a large pizza folded in half. This ginormous sports machine - took half home. The appetizers are good. I recommend the fried zucchini planks, but everything I've had has been plentiful and tasty. I've eaten the lasagna (took half home) chicken parmigiana (took half home), eggplant parmigiana (took half home), the linguini with white clam sauce (ok, ate all of that), hot sandwiches, and more, and I've never been unfulfilled or disappointed. They have gnocchi in a red sauce (I swear they used to have it in a creamy cheese sauce, but that seems to have disappeared from the menu - shame too, it was yum), and even have things for the non-Italian people, like cheesesteak sandwiches, open faced roast beef and fries smothered with gravy. Once again I say - I am NOT a 'foodie'. I like FOOD. And Big Jim's is a place that can fill you up and not rip you off. Two enormous entrees usually coming with a side, a soda, an appetizer or two, and a meal for the next day's lunch - the bill usually comes to just under $30. It's a hidden gem - so get out your mapquest or GPS - and find it!
(4)
Jennifer V.
Actually, more like a 2.5. We left a bit disappointed. We make it a point to hit some Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives when we're on vacation with the kids, and agree with the previous reviewer the Guy missed the mark on this one. While the portions are "generous" to say the least, the food was only "good." My husband and I split the Chicken Parm Hoagie...good, not great. The standout of this sandwich was the hoagie roll...it was amazing. To accompany the sandwich I ordered a dinner salad, my husband the wedding soup. Again, good not great. My son ordered the roast beef and au jus sandwich. Like our sandwich it was enormous and served on an awesome roll, but the awesome stopped there. It was really bland, and the au jus, even more so. However our little one ordered buttered noodles and was pleased as punch. For what's worth, the old school, off the beaten path character of the building was kind of charming. But you can't eat that. If your goal is a lot of food at a cheap price, this is your stop. If you're looking for an "off the hook" dining experience, drive on.
(2)
Matt K.
I went to this place a few times as a kid and didn't think much of it. Just a few months back my wife and I were watching "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives" on Food Network and Big Jim's was featured. The wife and I decided we would pay a visit on our next trip to Pittsburgh. We stopped in for lunch and got our eat on. It's probably not good for you to eat here too often, but it was fun for lunch. It definitely falls in the "Dives" category of Guy Fieri's show. My mom and wife split a chicken parm sandwich (photo attached). My bro-in-law had a meatball hoagie (also photo attached). I had the Italian hoagie and we also split some fries with sides of cheese and gravy. Everything was sinfully tasty. We rolled out the door to the car and went home and napped.
(4)
Kim K.
Mixed emotions here... Saw the episode on DDD's. Got there about 6:00 on a Saturday night. Went inside to give our name and it was chaotic. I asked a server if we could put our name in & she said we had to give it to some guy- wht? I am not a local and didn't know what she was talking about. Finally put our name in. We had about 30 minute wait and there really wasn't anywhere to wait- it was cold outside. People were coming & going and we were in everyone's way. My daughter & I ordered a reuben to share. My other daughter opted for the veggie calzone. Service was crazy slow & the waitress warned us that the calzone would take 30 minutes. We agreed... 65 minutes later she told us it was almost ready. I was annoyed and she got defensive. She said, "I told you it would take 30 minutes". I replied with, "yes, but not over an hour!". She didn't care. The calzone was enough for 4 people. The reuben would have been ok for one person so there portions didn't seem consistent. If in the area, I would give it another try.
(3)
Brom L.
I went here after seeing that it had been on one of the TV shows. Service was nice and friendly but... I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, with great expectations. I didn't find much flavor in the sauce OR the meatballs and, when it came time to get the bill, "something" crawled up on my table - maybe it wanted to pay for my dinner but I still proceeded to 'make it go away' with a napkin. I spared the nice waitress any details, just paid and left with no plans of going back... (There is a cool little walking path from the restaurant all the way to Carnegie Mellon.)
(2)
Will B.
Big Jim's on the Run. What to say about this place. Well it was on Dinners Drive-ins and Dives and I thought it was just OK. Sure you can order a huge double decker veal parmesan but it was just OK. The sandwich was served on a half loaf and it was toasted so it was hard as a rock and had to be smashed down causing a plate full of crumbs and crusty bits. The restaurant is nothing more than a dirty outdated dive bar with sloppy looking employees that don't wear any type of uniform or matching clothing. It's hard to tell who works there and who is just someone trying to get a meal. I don't mean to be hating but I went there once and haven't really wanted or felt the need to go back. So 3 stars for delivering something good but over all the large portions and TV fame wasn't enough to get me back in the door a second time.
(3)
Jackie T.
Price: can't beat it - we had a huge feast for 3 for less than $50. Service: friendly but slow. Italian wedding soup: good but I hardly had any meatballs in my cup. Pizza: only thing good about it was the sauce. Fries with gravy: one of my favorite apps that we tried. Jumbo wings: the hot ones are made with red hot and butter which is always good. Lots of meat on them too. Chicken parmesan sandwich: one of the best I've had anywhere. Very moist chicken. Fish sandwich: okay but not my favorite. Overall, I'd give this place 3 stars but would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a cheap night out with decent food (or great food if you order the chicken parm sandwich).
(3)
Margaret Z.
Would have liked to give this place a 3 1/2, but it isn't a 4. The portions are huge. I recommend splitting dishes. The Veal Parm was 2 BIG veal cutlets. The service was good and the food is mediocre. It's dark inside and I wouldn't go for ambience. The restaurant itself is in a rougher area of town.
(3)
Doreen L.
Being from New York, I have been to my fair share of dives, dumps and greasy spoons. Being that I was in the Pittsburgh area, I figured I'd give this hole-in-the-wall a try, especially since Guy Fieri recommended it (although I am starting to doubt his taste because, frankly, all his suggestions have blown thus far). We get here and it's confusing from the start. The guy from the back (does he cook the food? wash the dishes?) seats us in the dark bar area. He asks us what we want to drink and tells someone to get us Diet Pepsi (we ordered regular Pepsi). We get the menus and I was tempted to get out a flashlight just to read it. In the meantime, a waitress comes over and asks us what we want to drink. We tell her Pepsi. She walks off. Someone else comes over and puts down two Pepsi glasses. Then she walks over with two more. Looks like there is no communication here - or light fixtures. Looking at the expansive menu, we decide to check Yelp on our phones for other reviewer's suggestions before ordering. We've done it before and it's worked. Unfortunately, this gets us a rude comment from a guy who is now our server (yep, we have now had three people "serve" us). He snaps at us, asking if we're texting or if we're ready. Well, excuse me, Mr. Sassy Pants. I was actually looking for what to order in this dump, if you don't mind. Not wanting to ruin what is supposed to be a fun experience, we politely order our meals. I get the chicken sandwich, he gets the roast beef au jus. A whole HALF HOUR later, our magical sandwich creations come out from the kitchen. One look at these things, and you'd ask yourself, What the hell took so damn long? My sandwich was the most uninspired thing I've seen in a long time. It was a big slab of chicken breast thrown in between a hamburger bun, with an un-melted slice of American cheese, uncooked green peppers and a spoonful of grilled onions. Half of it tasted like chicken -- the other half tasted burnt and like an old oven. His sandwich was no better - but it came with burnt, hard and cold french fries that a dog would sneer its nose at. Needless to say, the food was terrible. I don't care about the "large portions" and "everything is made on the premises" bullsh** - this food is barely edible. Like I said, I get that this place has "character" and it's dirty on purpose which adds to its charm but I'm sorry, you aren't winning me over on that load of horse apples. Take your character and shove it where the sun don't shine - which just so happens to be the dark dining room at Big Jim's.
(1)
RONALD W.
A first class neighborhood restaurant and bar. Extensive menu of hoagies, sandwiches, burgers, and some Italian pasta dishes. For most folks, I would recommend bringing a friend or love one and sharing an entree and a side. The sandwiches are very big. I had the veal parmigiana sandwich plus fried mushrooms and ended up with half in a carryout container. Other than being huge, my sandwich came in first class crusty, toasty italian bread. Very, very tasty! Parking behind the restaurant.
(4)
Jarrett H.
One of my favorite things I've ever heard Guy Fieri say is "If you're from Pittsburgh, you've heard of 'The Run'". Guy, I had not heard of the run, and I have yet to meet anyone that, prior to going to Big Jim's, has heard of The Run either(Except for my one friend's grandma). However, I'll not forget The Run - a small stretch in Greenfield near the South Side Works involving a baseball field that has housed this place since 1977 - after having come to Big Jim's. Big Jim's is full of cheap,largely-portioned food that I think is characteristic of this area. Little flair, decent flavor, no funny business. Enter and take your pick of the dining room or the bar area. There may be a wait(I've been here once or twice with a line out the door, mostly during games. Go another time and you're good to sit just about anywhere). The crowd is a good mix - neighbors, locals, Pitt students. The menu is a selection of mostly fried appetizers, sandwiches, hoagies, some Italian specialties, and pizza. My favorite item to get here is definitely the veggie hoagie. So simple: Good bread, provalone cheese, brocolli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, carrots, thrown in the oven until the veggies are roasted(Add mayo for me, of course... And sometimes a little ketchup :). This thing tastes amazing, and while I could probably down a full one, I prefer to share it with a side of some kind of appetizer. The spaghetti here is also pretty good, and I've had the eggplant parmesian and it was decent. The entrees will net you garlic bread and spaghetti and a salad, large portions of everything, so don't attempt them alone. Now all that being said, I do have a few gripes about this place - Number one being that the service is slow. My order usually takes about 20-30 minutes to come back to me, which for a hoagie is kind of crazy in my opinion. The staff is friendly and it's hard to get upset, just don't come here for a 'quick' bite. My other gripe is that while some of the menu is definitely home cookin', other parts of the menu are definitely not, so buyer beware. My girlfriend ordered the applesauce once($1.50) and about 15 minutes later(but well before the rest of our food came) the waitress handed her a generic plastic cup of applesauce, not even opened. I mean come on, at least put the stuff in a dish. But what are you gonna do. The veggie hoagie is too good to pass up. Just accept the stuff for what it is, and don't try and go on the edge of this place's comfort zone. Stick to what they do best and you won't be disappointed.
(4)
James G.
It's not a Diner, It's not a Drive-In..... Big Jim's would need sprucing up to be a Dive! If you saw this place on TV (and let's face it, that's the only way anybody from outside this secret hideaway neighborhood would find this place) keep your TV romantic notions about it and stay home. We did have the things they featured on the DDD show and they were (looking for a kind word here) ....awful. The Italian Wedding Soup (normally a favorite of mine) had mystery meat and an over-abundance of salt. The Veal Parmigana Sandwich looked so obscenely large that we opted for the Veal Parmigana Plate with spaghetti. They certainly give you quantity over quality here. The Veal was pounded so thin, and then fried long enough to come out resembling two soles of a lost pair of shoes, and harder to chew. The pasta was overcooked (but plenty of it!) with a bland tomato sauce that seemed canned (I know, the TV shows them making it from scratch). They packed the place for the TV show, but you'll have no trouble getting a table. We sat by the bar, so there was an abundance of TV and butt-crack visible from our table. The pizza my partner had is about the only passable thing there was to eat here. This place is so far out of the way, and so hard to find that our GPS threw a tantrum. It was a huge disappointment, and I blame Fieri for that.
(1)
Jason F.
I ate here this past Friday with my girlfriend for dinner. We decided to come here after randomly seeing it featured on a repeat of Guy Fieri's Diners Drive-Ins And Dives earlier in the week. The outside is not too much to look at but the inside is comfortable. Appropriately we were seated right underneath a Guy Fieri poster that proclaimed that the Veal Parmigiana "as big as yer head". As you would expect with food that large it seemed that everyone that was leaving the restaurant had a to-go box. We knew from the episode that they make their wedding soup from scratch daily and so started off with a cup of that. It had a good taste to it and had much more chicken flavor than most wedding soups that I have had in the past. The escarole as a green was also pretty nice. For my entree I decided on having the Veal Parmigiana sandwich as I wanted to see how big it actually was while my girlfriend decided upon the lasagna. Both portions were quite large with the sandwich being as large as advertised and I have a picture to prove it! It actually ended up being so big that I could not possibly fit my mouth around it. So I ended up taking off the top which essentially made it into two open faced sandwiches. The bread was crispy while the veal was fried nicely and the sauce and cheese complimented the rest nicely. My only complaint with it is that it was a bit dry and I think that some more sauce could have been helpful with that. Even so, the half of the sandwich that I ate tasted good. My girlfriends lasagna also seemed to be a super sized portion as it filled up her whole plate. It had a lot of ricotta cheese in it which helped to give it an overall flavor that I enjoyed. Like almost everyone else that I saw, we ended up leaving with some to-go boxes as I still had half of my sandwich left and my girlfriend half of her lasagna. The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here again in the future. It was a cool little place in which you definitely get a huge portion size for your money and the food is pretty good too!
(4)
Beth B.
Amid the modern scene of strip mall restaurant chains and tired cliches masquerading as innovative establishments, Big Jim's is a refreshing surprise. For those of us who were children in the 70s or 80s, a visit to Big Jim's becomes a bit of a time warp back to childhood. It's divey, dark, and the decor probably hasn't changed since the place opened in 1977. In other words, it's pretty freaking awesome. If time warping to the late 70s isn't enough for you, how about giant portions of delicious comfort food? Bring your appetite and a friend. The meals here are immense. My husband, 3-year-old daughter, and I all shared a chicken parm sandwich and I still had a little piece of my portion to bring home. The chicken was tender and generously topped with flavorful marinara and melted cheese. Oh, and the bread. Can't forget the bread. The sandwich is served on a crusty half loaf of delicious Italian bread. Overall, I think this place is great. Bear in mind that the criticisms of other reviewers - digs about the decor or the uniforms - were positive in my book. I love that this place has likely never been renovated. If it were to be renovated, I probably would never go back. I like time travel. Oh, and as a side note, Big Jim's was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Take that as you will. If you pride yourself on visiting places that are featured on television shows, then put this on your list. If not, still put this restaurant your list because it's a funky place straight out of the 70s with excellent food. Happy time traveling!
(5)
Lauren M.
Love their calzones and eggplant parm. The staff is always nice an friendly. Great place to grab and beer and watch the game. Not the fanciest place in the burgh but they don't pretend to be either. Just a good old fashioned Pgh bar with great food and nice people.
(4)
Chris K.
Hard to find, but worth the effort. Try the DDD faves! The meatball sandwich is the best I've ever had!
(5)
John L.
Tried it based on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives...1st time the program has let us down. Definitely a dump. Salad - old wilted lettuce. Ordered the chicken parm. Portion was immense, but the taste really poor. And the pasta was overcooked. Overall - not good.
(2)
Kaleigh L.
Everything is amazing here. Super friendly staff, huge portions, relaxed atmosphere and good prices. I have never had a bad meal or bad experience here. I suggest the Chicken and Meatball Parm dinners. Amazing. Their sandwiches and hoagies are also fantastic. You cant get a bad meal here and if you leave hungry, it's definitely your fault!
(5)
Darren W.
My dad lived in Greenfield for a time during his reckless, Dead End Kids youth and for years has spoken well of Big Jim's and of the godlike sandwiches they serve. Watching it become nationally famous through Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" was exciting, surreal, and made me all the more anxious to stop by. Shockingly, Kay had this place bookmarked for months! The other night, we decided to put off a visit no longer. Unassuming during the day, ominous after dark, Big Jim's occupies a building that sits below a poorly-lit underpass in a portion of the neighborhood known as "The Run." When you walk in, however, you are greeted graciously like a longtime friend and fed lovingly with hefty helpings of food that runs the gamut from bar and diner fare to good old Sunday evening homestyle cooking. It was the latter path that Kay chose with her Italian Wedding Soup and Hot Roast Beef Sandwich entree. The sandwich was a mountain of beef, bread, gravy, and fries that poor Kay only halfway finished. Dad recommended either the Italian Hoagie or the Bacon Burger. Thankfully, I listened to reason and didn't attempt to devour both, so I just went with the burger and was rewarded with an archetypal patty that was burly, copiously juicy, criminally fresh, and sublimely cooked to my specifications. In fact, EVERYTHING about this burger was open-faced perfection, from the veggies and sharp, solid, chilly, dill pickle to a bun so blessedly baked and brand-new, my imagination led me to believe that it had sprung from the ovens of Shangri-La. All hail Big Jim's Bacon Burger. Its place in the pantheon has been quickly secured. However, their fries, served in an insurmountable heap along with all else on their menu, need work. Brown, greasy, and limp, I've honestly had better fries at Eat N Park. I coulda, shoulda ordered onion rings. Oy. Remember kids, cut them fresh, change the oil regularly, fry them twice. The atmosphere was very casual, talkative, and family-oriented, and the service was friendly, speedy, and graceful; our waiter didn't miss a beat in spite of how busy the restaurant was. I'll certainly be back for that Italian Hoagie. Until then... P.S. Who didn't know that a framed picture of Guy Fieri would be on the wall?
(4)
October R.
I love Big Jim's! The staff are always personable and the food is always fantastic! Everything is made to order; pizzas, Stromboli, and calzones take about 30 minutes (be patient, it's worth the wait). The portions are gigantic so you 'll be able to take something home for later. My boyfriend and I come here often; he is a creature of habit and always orders the 2 bill sandwich (a reuben plus a fried egg), I on the other hand like to switch things up. I've had the gardenburger (they'll ask what you want on it), the alfredo is amazing, eggplant parm is pretty standard but still delicious and a veggie stromboli (I could only eat half and I have a pretty healthy appetite). The french fries are thin and get cold fast so eat 'em first There is something for everyone to enjoy, even vegetarians!!
(5)
Isabella L.
Big Jim's was the first place I hit up on my cross-country trip from Philly to L.A., so I was expecting delicious, gut busting, bad-for-you food in large quantities, and that's what I got :) I ordered the lasagna. Someone on Yelp said it was big as a head - yeah, they weren't kidding. This lasagna was huge and boy was it good. I give it a 4 out of 5, although I'm not sure if they could do much more to improve it - I think they should add another type of cheese to the top to make it a tad more flavorful, but that's my take. My husband got the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were not as big as I expected, but their slightly spicy flavor was really awesome. The pasta and garlic bread were just right too. All right so the food has me around 5 stars, but why the 4? Well, I could handle being in a shady part of town and the overall dark, dreary character of the place, cause as Guy said on Triple D it's a Dive - fine. But at these type of places I expect really good service from friendly people. Well, we had 2 servers - one was friendly but really difficult to get over to the table and the other was less likely to come around without being harassed and also seemed annoyed with everyone there. For the out-of-towners deciding between Big Jim's and something like Primanti Bros, go with Big Jim's - seriously.
(4)
Amber H.
I've been here a couple times and like it --- it's comfortable in a yinzer way. The walls have dark paneling, the food is unpretentious, the portions are huge, the bill is low - and the service is pleasant but not overly chatty/fake. My favorites on the menu are chicken parm and pizza. The chicken parm is huge (2-3 meals on a plate, basically). The chicken isn't pounded too thin, which is key because they do put a decent amount of "crust" on the chicken (which I happen to like because mmm FRIED BATTER) and the pasta isn't overcooked. Pizza isn't thin crust -- but it's not pan thick either. I love it for that reason. It holds up to the tons of cheese (that actually melts into goo without being a gummy mess). The pasta and pizza sauces are good -- on the sweeter side, but not overly so. Husband likes the turkey club - it has a ton of thick sliced turkey breast. I'm mainly taking a star off because I don't like their fries, which are homemade shoe string. I am kind of picky when it comes to fries -- so, maybe I am being too critical. I just found them to be kind of mushy and weak. Maybe I just got a bad batch? I dunno, after having them once, I never ordered them again. The neighborhood is just fine. Unless working class neighborhoods and urban infrastructure scares you. I think it reads as sketchy to some people because it's tiny, nothing is fancy, and the businesses aren't all clustered together. The Run looks like a small working class town.
(4)
Katonah O.
Massive servings, friendly folks. First timer. Decent meal all around. I had the Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, so I had to try it here. Great big tasty bread (toasted, not grilled), yummy kraut and cheese. But the corned beef .. well, they didn't cook it there. Must have come in with the rest of the cold cuts. Not the reubens I'm used to. I will come by for the veal parm, though. There's enough quality to bring me back.
(3)
Tatyana K.
I first noticed this place on my run, then I came across it in a Pittsburgh traveling guide and finally, some 5 months later, I had an opportunity to visit yesterday. It's in a part of Greenfield called The Run, tucked away from main roads and traffic. Parking is super easy, the neighborhood looks a little sketch but I've ran here at night in the dark and it seems fine. The restaurant was packed! For this location, I thought it would be pretty empty. Lots of families, relaxing and enjoying their huge dinners. We were seated right away, with people constantly checking up on us, right away we got beer and menus. I'd say we had 3 waiters as all of them made sure everything was great. The food is home-style, comfort food - lots of hoagies, sandwiches and pasta, they have their menu online. I ordered a 2-bill sandwich: corned beef, swiss cheese, slaw and a fried egg. It was HUGE and came with more coleslaw. It sounds like they only have 4 beers on tap. Highlight of my meal - noticing Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives poster on a wall, autographed. I'm not a huge fan of the show but still thought it pretty cool to eat at a place featured on Food Network's show!
(4)
Bernard S.
There are a million places that serve food like this in Pittsburgh. The thing that sets Big Jim's apart is that it tastes reeeeeeel good and they give you ALOT of food. One thing food places similar to Big Jim's does to offset the mediocre food is the portion, in the run the food tastes better and the portions set the bar again. The calzone is a large supreme pizza folded in half. It typically takes me 3 meals to complete it. The Reuben is solid, big thick and flavorful as the toppings overflow the sides of the marble rye bread. The burgers, I feel are a little lacking, but they offer a black bean burger. The eggplant parm appetizer is easily a filling meal for one person.
(4)
David L.
Saw it on DDD. It was awesome. Reuben sandwich was great. My friends had a fish sandwich and a 2 bill sandwich and they loved theirs. When I get back to Pittsburgh will definitely eat there again. Worth the trip. Once again, its AWESOME!
(5)
Ed B.
I saw Big Jim's on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Went there when in Pittsburgh with my son visiting Pitt, had a great lunch. My son went to Pitt and I have been back several times. The food is very good, large servings and reasonably priced. This place will surprise you. It is off the beaten path. You have to be looking for it because it is below the highway in a neighborhood that leads nowhere to my knowledge. It is unattractive at best but the service is good, food is very good, fresh, plentiful and very reasonable. If you like good food, funky places and you are not a snob stop in and give it a try.
(5)
Ryan P.
I went here expecting the worst, and was pleasantly surprised - the place is funky. Expect huge portions of cheap, fairly good although on the greasy side... food. Bring your apetite! The calzone is big enough to feed four for dinner, easily. Salad was okay, and the salmon sandwich was better than expected (but not great). Next time I crave some hearty food, I'll probably come back and get a pizza or calzone.
(4)
Annie Q.
I love the calzones and that seems to be the best thing on the menu. The spicy meat Calzone might be the best folded pizza I've ever had. Portions are Huge. WE did see a pasta being ordered once- HUGE HUGE HUGE. The only other thing worth a visit for is the new breakfast. It is a grease heaven. The potatoes are kicking but huge in number. Pancakes put the word cake back in the equation. It feels really good after a drinking night and I recommend it. But go for the calzones. They are HUGE- imagine large pizza folded for maybe 8 bucks or something amazing. Feeds 3-4 EASILY. I barely barely can eat a fourth, and i love my food (know what I mean). Owners really nice to. Overall, solid Greenfield place.
(4)
Kay E.
The only reason I want to try this little dive tucked away on a barely lit street was because my dear dad saw it listed in one of his cooking magazines since it had been featured on DDD (you know the show I mean). I wish I knew what Guy recommended so I could decided what to try from the massive selection! I am not a burger person, but the hot pot roast and fries with gravy sounded pretty good to me! When I saw the gigantic plate coming from the kitchen I knew right away I couldn't finish it. For the price, the portion size alone is a value! I did also order Wedding soup. Something I never even heard of before moving to Pittsburgh, The soup itself was very delicious. Not bland and with few meatballs (which is FINE with me!). At least I didn't have to ask for the Parmesan cheese, the server brought it out with the soup. My meal itself was just okay. The bread was kind of tough and hard to cut. The beef didn't have much flavor, but the gravy helped this. The fries, sadly, tasted like the oil they were cooked in needed changed badly. At first I though maybe it was just that there was still skin left on the potatoes, but Darren pointed out the oil problem. Another comment, WHAT IS WITH THIS AREA AND CURT SERVERS??? If you aren't from Pittsburgh I think you'll be shocked at the rudeness. Darren seems used to it (swearing that "they aren't being rude")...and if this is what you get used to here, I am heartbroken. Is friendly service too much to ask for? If I decide to come back, I will try a different sandwich.
(3)
Russ D.
My review is based strictly on the rueben and/or two-bill sandwiches. Hands down the best in the city, and yes I've been to Szmidt's. It's the go to spot for my g/f's family to celebrate birthday's, and I'm looking forward to another sandwich tomorrow night for that very reason. Yes it's a dive, but it's comfortable, and I appreciate a place that doesn't take it self too seriously.
(4)
Amanda E.
I love Big Jim's. It's honestly my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh. The portions are huge, the food is delicious and the price is good! I've had the lasagna several times and it has never disappointed. Seriously the portion is huge! The servers are always friendly and attentive, I've never had a bad experience at this restaurant.
(5)
T.C. J.
Great neighborhood, great little divey place, and good food at great prices. I play basketball at the hoops courts down in the Run and often will stop by Big Jim's afterward to get some much needed sustenance. The portions are huge and almost everything is good. The last time I was there I got the Reuben and it did not disappoint. Stacked high with meat and good tasting and I think it was only around 8 dollars. The service at the bar isn't all that attentive, but by no means is poor. It is exactly what you would expect at a place like this. If you are looking for a fancy night out this surely isn't the place, but it is absolutely perfect for what it is. Cheap food and drinks in huge portions.
(4)
Daniel C.
Yes, the portions are gigantic..the calzone one of my party ordered was about the size of a Ford Pinto. This is a wonderful, gritty place, that is oozing with character. The food is more than decent, and our waitress was a sweetheart. The prices are very reasonable. Be sure to check out the condom dispenser in the men's room for a very funny inscription a patron has written on it.
(3)
Michael M.
This is somewhere between 3 and 4 (give it a 3.5). The chicken parm hoagie is a 5. It is awesome - big, tasty, awesome. Wife got stuffed shells - they were good, the cheese was fresh and soft. I liked the marinara, but the wife said it was just ok, a little bland. Meatballs did lack flavor - pretty bland and a little disappointing. Excellent service - seemed like a real neighborhood place. The pizza looked damn good - we would definitely go back.
(3)
Ed C.
Had the reuben, which was good and big enough for two. Will try the veal parmagian sandwich next time.
(4)
Chuck B.
My wife and I are Triple D junkies so we try to find places wherever we travel that Guy has been to. Last night we tried Big Jim's. She had the Chicken Parm sandwich and I had the Gnocchi. Both were fabulous. Obviously, the sandwich was way to big for one sitting snowed took the rest for a late night snack.
(5)
Joseph S.
This is a great neighborhood restaurant/bar. I went with friends on the recommendation of a Food Network host, and was not disappointed. The food is greasy, delicious, and comes in large portions. Not to mention, it's cheap. Be prepared to wait, though - it's a popular place!
(4)
Elena C.
What a hole in the wall! But who cares? The food is delicious. :) We started off with house salads. The dressing was awesome but I handed my olives over to T who gladly accepted. For my meal I had the chicken parm. The plate was the size of my body. Not my head, my body. Delicious. Covered in gooey cheese and piping hot, rich red sauce. Yum. The pasta was less impressive and the reason for the missing star above. Bland bland bland. Just needed to add a little salt to the cooking water and all would have been well. But no matter. I concentrated on the chicken and left stuffed. I would definitely go back to try other offerings. The sandwiches were obscenely large but looked awesome.
(4)
Matt D.
Take a step back with me: The year, circa 1985. When the family Chevy wagon heads out on a Saturday afternoon jaunt from the Pittsburgh suburbs with all 5 kids in tow, we all know that, while the zoo/museum/ballgame is going to be fun, the highlight is going to be the dinner stop at Big Jim's. After which the overloaded sky-blue Impala (with its overloaded occupants), will lumber back onto the parkway east, stuffed and homeward bound... Yeah, my old man was thrifty (5 kids will do that to you), this was about all of the dining out we ever did as a family. But he certainly had taste! I can proudly say I have been enjoying Big Jim's for more than 20 of my 30 years... as good now as it was then (or better, as I can now share in the pitchers). I'm glad to see that the other Yelp reviews here treat it as it should be treated, not as haute cuisine (some other online reviews questioned the cleanliness of the bathrooms, which appear to have been last sanitized shortly before I started going there. This was also the last time the condom dispenser was replenished, judging by the written descriptions), but as what it truly is: your yinzer cousin's woodgrained-laminate basement rec-room, only with fantastic, gigantic portions of Pittsburgh comfort food, served by friendly folks... If you simply want your mind boggled at shear food quantity, go with one of the calzones every time. The "Big Jim" named for the now-deceased founder (I have seen this man, he was indeed not small), has a small deli-case worth of cured meats inside, and is served hanging over the edges of a large pizza tray. I myself am not a small man, and this dish constitutes three solid meals for me. Believe it or not, this place used to be even cheaper, the above calzone now runs the better part of 10 dollars... What can I say, I'm nearly as cheap as Dad, though it's still worth every penny. Also, reservations are accepted for very large parties (6 or more, I think). I had to suffer through the DD role for a bachelor's party on my most recent visit, Big Jim's without beer was kinda like delicious purgatory. Though the service was, as ever, fantastic, without being the least overbearing: After it became clear I was drinking pop, a tiny, halfsize pitcher appeared next to my glass. Needless to say, many humorous "giant calzone siting" photos were snapped next to my mini pitcher with available cellphones... Can't recommend it enough, one visit will make you a believer. This is the kind of place that brought me back to Pittsburgh after early-20s wanderings. Though the men's toilet is, like all good bars, not for the faint of heart!
(5)
Leonard W.
My sister told me about this place while we were driving around exploring Pittsburgh. Obviously it was because of DD&D.So finding the place was kind of hard since I didnt know the roads that well. Once getting here I have to agree that it looks like its in a weird place or at least an old town of the area. Park in the back and go in. Nice interior, very homely feel, and they were showing the world cup which is always nice. So because I've never been here we decide to order a bundle. We order the lasagna, the buffalo chicken wings (full), a reuben sandwich, and onion rings. The lady was nice and friendly brought out some waters for my sis, cousin, and me. The wait was a while for the food but im sure everythings fresh and not just sitting there waiting. The wings looked nice, the reuben was big portioned, and my lasagna was out of this world in size. Just looking at it almost gave me acid reflux lol. The food was good nonetheless. The truth is I would probably give this place 4 stars but I wasnt too impressed with the taste. The portions were huge, the prices were great, but I just felt something was missing from the taste. Dont get me wrong, this place would be a massive frequent if i lived in the area because of the menu and prices, but from my visit, i would give it 3.5 stars. Once i go back and try some other dishes I would gladly revise my rating.
(3)
Alex W.
I love Big Jim's! It's very cheap, the portions are massive, and the food (wedding soup, open faced turkey sandwich, and fish sandwich) is fantastic. The service is not fast or overly warm, but so what. Order another beer and enjoy your company and the great food.
(5)
Pat M.
Best veal Parm going
(5)
Loni W.
During a recent trip to Pittsburgh, my boyfriend and I decided to try Big Jim's. The atmosphere was casual and busy since we were there on a Friday night but very friendly. I strongly recommend their Italian Wedding soup and, if you are up for a challenge, the veal pram sandwich.
(5)
Allen B.
I saw this on triple D so I had to try it. The food is okay and the place is kinda a dive. Not the kind of place you'd want to bring a date. I would probably come back but there are plenty of other places in Pittsburgh that I prefer.
(3)
Ty S.
Very cool little corner of town. It might look a bit sketchy, but was very safe. Extremely good Reuben and a frosty pint of beer. Will come here again
(4)
A H.
o,m,g best sandwich i had in my life. i wish they made sandwich like this in los angeles
(5)
Je'Amour M.
sheer joy being an Italian woman and find a place with decent wedding soup & lovely entrees and sandwiches...
(5)
melissa k.
Food was just awesome; and Scott our host/waiter was the best ever, never an empty drink and great personality. We had the meatballs, pizza and chicken Parm hoagies. We just LOVED being there!
(5)
F P.
Ah yes...Big Jim's. I have been eating here since the early 80s when my Mom worked there. My first memory of video games comes from Big Jim's. I was sitting on someone's lap playing a table top version of Q-Bert. Those were the days. This place is just a hole in the wall. But its a great one. No matter what you get off the menu, its tasty. This time, we got the open-faced roast beef sandwich, the open-faced turkey sandwich, a small cheese pizza and a chicken parm sandwich. The two open-faced sandwiches are awesome. Big piles of meat and gravy on top of hearty chunks of Italian bread and thin-cut homemade fries. The turkey was real sliced turkey from a turkey breast. The roast beef is fresh sliced, too. The pizza is always good. The really pile on the cheese. Unfortunately today, they piled the sauce on, too. There was literally enough sauce to scoop off the pizza and eat with a fork. Which I did, because their sauce is almost as good as my own. Still though...all that sauce is not needed. The chicken parm was okay. It was a large chicken cutlet but it wasn't very crispy. The bread was good and just like the pizza, the cheese was piled high on this hoagie. Other than the overly saucy pizza the only real complaint was the waitress wasn't very friendly. This is atypical of the place and this is the first time I can recall having a crabapple for a server here. I don't like to base my reviews on previous visits, and I won't. But I well touch base on some of the other menu items that are top notch. Their pasta is always good. They really do have a good sauce. I'm not the kind of person who likes ordering pasta in restaurants because its never as good as my own (or my father's). But Big Jim's is the sort of place I can break my rules over. They have these fried eggplant appetizers. They're awesome. Skip the parmesan version and just get them with marinara on the side. The salads are always huge. Just make sure you tell them you don't need any french fries on them...Big Jim's, just like many other restaurants in this city, likes to muck up a perfectly good salad by dumping fries all over them. They have a homemade Italian dressing that is truly delicious. We've commented time and time again how we wish we could buy it by the bottle and take it home with us. All the meat on their sandwiches is the real deal. Actual sliced roast beef and turkey. I don't know where they get their cold cuts from, but they're not cheap....they're quite good. The bread's great, as well. Crispy and flaky on the outside, soft and hearty on the inside. Like I said...pretty much everything on the menu is good. We've tried a little bit of everything on the menu and you can't go wrong.
(5)
Mike P.
Pretty mediocre....saw the place on triple D and wanted to try it. Wedding soup was good, chicken parm was huge but not particularly outstanding. Tomato sauce had a strange taste to it. Place is a real dump but has character
(3)
Gwen K.
Just had to update this to say that Big Jim's is now smoke free!
(4)
McCall N.
A friend of mine saw this on Diners, Drive-In's & Dives, so we knew we had to try it. It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it's a family favorite. Don't come here if you're in a hurry, but the food is worth the wait. Huge portions & fairly cheap.
(4)
Randy T.
Was visiting Pitt a while back and everyone said Big Jims was the place to eat. They couldnt have been more right. Big Jims is a place you wouldnt even notice as a restaurant on the outside and I cant even recall any businesses surrounding it. The food is where this place really shines. I settled on the Veal Parmesan and couldnt believe my eyes when it came to the table, the veal was bigger than my platter! I couldnt even finish my meal and ended up taking half of it home, great value for the money. They also make homemade wedding soup thats outta this world! We woulda dined at Big Jim's our entire time in Pitt but Diners Drive Inn's and Dives happened to be filming while we were there and we couldnt get near the place again, bummer!
(5)
Jessica B.
Like many others reviewing Big Jim's, I was inspired to try it after seeing the Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives episode in which it was featured. Based on what I saw on the show, and what I had read on Yelp, I knew to expect huge portions and the "homey" (to put it nicely) decor. Indeed, it was decorated like a suburban grandparents basement, but it actually was kind of charming. I went with my husband and a friend one Friday night a few weeks ago. We got there around 7pm and it was crowded but we did not have to wait for a table. Unlike many reviewers here, our service was definitely not slow; a waitress was almost immediately at the table to take drink orders (before we all got a chance to look through the menu) and made herself available throughout the meal, frequently checking in with us. I really wanted to try the meatballs, which had been showcased on DDD. I ordered two as an appetizer (husband and friend ordered jalapeno poppers, of which I am not a fan and did not try. They claimed they were tasty). The meatballs were quite delicious and so was the accompanying sauce. I could tell both were homemade, and enjoyed the sauce so much that even when I had finished the meat, I scraped up the rest of the sauce with my fork to finish it all. For dinner I ordered a hot sausage calzone. The waitress told me that it would take about 30 minutes to cook, and since we ordered apps I didn't care. Again, I knew from watching DDD that the portion would be ridiculous, and it was: it was as if someone took a large pizza and folded it in half. It really was that big. But, I can say this as a hard-core foodie and a self-labeled gourmand, it was the best damn calzone I have ever eaten. Hands down; no contest. The dough was thin and crisp and perfectly, uniformly browned. In general, my critique about calzones is that there is often way too much cheese (I am not a fan of tons and tons of cheese), but this calzone had the proporations down perfectly: fresh delicious fillings of sausage, peppers and onions, and a smattering of cheese to tie it all together. The sausage was indeed spicy, sliced thinly and bursting with flavor. The onion and peppers appeared to have been roasted first, then thinly sliced, which also added an unexpected dimension of flavor. A winner. And we had enough calzone left over to eat throughout the rest of the weekend. My husband ordered a reuben sandwich which he said was really good, and our friend ordered the immense veal parm sandwich which she described as delicious. I will definitely go back to Big Jim's. I want to try other things on the menu but I am already craving that calzone again. Seriously: this place is worth the trip and I can now see why people rave about it. I am only giving it four stars because of the decor. Yes: I get it, you're homey and dive-y and unpretentious, yadda yadda, but if someone spent 2 hours sprucing the interior of that place up, it would make a huge difference.
(4)
Janel D.
We saw this place on the tv show Diners Drive-ins and Dives and had to try it. The place is certainly a dive in terms of the decor, but when you taste the food it doesn't matter one bit. It's actually kind of refreshing that this place stands solely on it's food. We had the wedding soup which was phenomenal. It was filled with delicious meatballs, pieces of chicken and had a great flavor! We also had a pizza and split an order of meatballs. The meatballs and the marinara that they came in were quite tasty, and left us wanting more. While the pizza was very good, we wished we had ordered some pasta after admiring our neighbor's choices. We will definitely return for another tasting session sometime soon. The wait staff was efficient but not overly friendly. They were spread a bit thin and seemed to have a way of doing things that didn't always put the customer's needs first. But, again, the food stands on it's own, and if that's what you are going there for, then you will certainly not be disappointed!
(4)
scott s.
Awesome place. Small, friendly, super cheap and super big portions. The appetizer eggplant is large enough to serve as a meal, with some left over for tomorrow's lunch.
(5)
Jenn P.
Um... Am I the only one who is going to say that they had problems with this place???? I didn't get this place at all!!!! Bill and i saw this joint on Triple D with Guy Fieri , and we had to experience it for ourselves. Thats where the problem began. First off, we Had to wait in line at a dive bar in a shady part of town for 30 minutes!!!! Then, when we finally were seated, we noticed that the dish washer from the back was taking our drink order, (which took forever to get back to us!!! Doesnt anyone know what pete's wicked ale is???? MORONS!!!!) Dont even get me started on the food, which took a over an hour to make and get to our table. The wedding soup was a joke!!! too salty, Ive had better... I dont know... If you like to wait around for your food, then this is the place for you, ( they do have take out, i dont know how long that would take to make though....) So basically, We spent over 2 hours in this place in which this is time we will never get back. Btw, thanks for wasting our time.... we know better now
(2)
Tara B.
Excellent find. We came here because of Yelp reviews. And we're really happy we did. Our table of nine started at the bar for an hour and had great appetizers (the bartender steered us to zucchini and it was fantastic). We loved seeing the various foods come to the tables. Our table had massive amounts of food. Perhaps the best was the corned beef on rye. It was incredible. So was the meatball sub. That was pretty amazing too. If and when I get back to Pittsburgh, off all the places I dined, this is THE ONE I would make a point to return to.
(4)
Shreyas V.
We went here, encouraged by the reviews on yelp. Definitely not disappointed. Got take out, but had to wait around 40 min for our order.. So make sure you call in if you're planning on take out. Tried the reuben sandwich and it was pretty good... one of the best I've tasted in Pittsburgh. My wife got the lasagne and she liked it. The serving size is HUGE.. Will easily last for more than 1 meal. Definitely coming back here to try other stuff on their menu.
(4)
Todd B.
Great place for families and Italian food. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, this place really does have sandwiches as.big as your head. It's crazy. Great hometown service. Small place. Get there early or be willing to wait. But trust me, it's worth the wait. Great chicken parm, fried zucchini, HUGE sandwiches and the calzones are as big as a small child. Am not kidding. Worth the weight, I mean wait. Great place. Loved every minute.
(4)
Emily L.
I wonder if there is a crowd surge at Big Jim's every time their episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives airs. My husband and I had watched the episode earlier in the week and were feeling Italian so we decided to make the short hike from South Side. I ordered a bowl of Wedding Soup and half of a meatball hoagie. He ordered the lasagna. The meatballs are good and the hoagie hit the spot, largely due to the bread and melted cheese. The wedding soup is delicious! Neither of us were impressed by the lasagna. There wasn't much flavor / seasoning aside from the sauce which is a little on the safe "no indigestion afterwards" side. The portions are generous and the atmosphere is definitely divey with late 70's decor and a dedicated clientele of local regulars. I would say it's a great place for a sandwich, soup and a beer. I was eyeing up the jumbo wings someone at the bar ordered. I would definitely give Big Jim's another shot.
(2)
Mitchell B.
My favorite spot in Pittsburgh when I'm hungry. The portions are big and so is the flavor. You cannot beat this place. Their house Italian is great and while their Veal Parm is simple, it is done very well. If you want to have a cheap, relaxed meal and do not mind dated, dusty paintings that you may find in your grandmother's attic on the walls around you, then go to Big Jim's.
(5)
Jesse T.
I've had a lot of great sandwiches in the Burgh. Szmidt's, Peppi's and primanti's, they all put out a great product. But the Best Sandwich that I have had in Pittsburgh?? The Reuben at Big Jims in the Run, Greenfield. Sooo spectacular!!! Perfect in every way. I haven't eaten at Gaucha Parilla Argentina yet, so I won't call it the best in the Burgh. But it is the best so far.
(5)
Mike H.
If you follow me on the rest of my social media (HITTofMCM) then you've been waiting for this review. I know that you come to Yelp to find out about the actual product, the Food, and I'll get to that, but Big Jims isn't just about the food no matter how good it is, it's about what this place stands for. Living in Pittsburgh my whole life I can't believe I've never been. The building has been in the GreenField Run since the early 1900's but the restaurant opened in 1977. I've eaten at a lot of places, I've BEEN to a lot of places, but sitting in Big Jims waiting for my food I couldn't help but feel at home, even a bit emotional from the love oozing from this place. I sat at the bar and had the pleasure of having a gentlemen by the name of Scott serve me my Bahama Mama. He started there in 1997 and said he could never see himself working for anyone else even before they appeared on the famous food show DINERS, DRIVE INS AND DIVES. He asked me about myself and what I do and I told him about IM SO BURGH and other things all while he tended to everyone who was there and everyone who came in as if they were all one big family. He knew everyone by name, he knew what some people wanted before they ordered it and he and all the staff operated in a way that wasn't overly friendly and fake but, honest a bit exhausted from life and always with a smile just like it would be at home after a long day. I told him all my Facebook family encouraged me to come here after I posted how I wanted the best Reuben Sandwich I could find in the city of Pittsburgh. While I waited for the food he pointed out they are going through a bit of a revitalization getting new carpet put in, painting tiles and changing walls as if it was renovations in his own home. He pointed out photos of before they were open and a big portrait of Big Jim himself looking all Tony Soprano. He appeared to be a man who got respect and gave it just the same. If I based this review alone on my experience and atmosphere it would get 5 stars but then my food came and as I write this, I wish Yelp had a 6 star system. My Reuben entered my place at the bar like a prize winning champion. The Rye bread was toasted just enough to give it that crisp texture but not too much. The sauerkraut and Swiss was just right and the thousand island dressing was just enough to marinate and flavor but the star of any Reuben is the meat and this didn't disappoint. Thinly shaved, grilled just right with not a moment of chewiness or toughness it melted in your mouth all the way to the last bite. Everything on the sandwich played its role like a team of ingredients should, and just in case I liked a little more Thousand Island, without even asking Scott made sure I had it right by my plate. Each bite made me a little bit more sad because I knew it was coming to an end. Like a night out with good friends that you wish lasted forever, that's how I felt about my closing time with this Reuben, Scott and Big Jims as a whole. I'll be back. I promised them that. Once to take my woman to dinner and a third time to spread the word with friends. The fourth time though, I'll need another solo visit to recapture that first visit feel all over again. If you're from Pittsburgh or just visiting skip the chain places and head to Big Jims, they have something for everyone.
(5)
Lambert P.
My friend said this place was on triple D and he wanted to try it so we ended up going. Big Jim's in the Run is essentially right in the middle of a residential zone. It doesn't really feel like you are walking into a business at first because of the area you drove through to get there. You will most likely end up parking on the street in front of somebody's home nearby. This place has what I call quintessential "American Italian". What that means is that it's not necessarily Italian but rather Americanized Italian food which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's just not the same. The first thing you will notice is that the decor is very simple. This place is the last "D" in the title of the show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives". This place is a dive and it's part of the charm of the place. They are not trying to be anything outside of what they are besides themselves which is what makes this place genuine. The servings at this place are really large in that one dish can maybe feed 2 people. If each of your party orders a dish you will most likely not finish your meal. The salads are huge, the bread comes to the table at first the entrees will fill you up big time. The food at the same time is good as well. The lasagna has A LOT of ricotta in it... almost too much. The veal sandwich I ordered was almost the size of the plate! All that being said it's not a lot of money for a lot of food. While it's not the greatest Italian food I've had it's one of the better American Italian food places I've eaten at and I can't say you leave hungry because the portions are beyond generous to the point of being family sized. The service was very welcoming and friendly.
(3)
Christy B.
Found this place on the Food Network app from the Diners, Drive-In & Dives show. I was concerned about going in as it truly is a hole in the wall place but this was the best meal of our entire vacation from NC to Canada. We had the eggplant parmigiana sub, chicken parmigiana sub & fettuccine alfredo- all were fabulous!
(5)
Vinny A.
I ate the WHOLE calzone and didn't even get a t-shirt?!? Really? Not even a discount?!? Seriously, my stomach hurts so bad right now, but I conquered the beast. The whole, delicious beast in all of its entirety. This place is not a diner, not a drive-in...definitely a dive, but, man is it good! Came with a business party of about twelve and the place accommodated us just fine and without hesitation. Everyone loved their food, so I'll definitely be back...though next time for a MUCH smaller portion...or at least when I have portion-control. Super delicious and a super dive! Gotta' love places like this! Cheers!
(4)
Casey S.
One of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh. Certainly a hidden gem. I of course have to comment on the absolute delicious wedding soup. It's hard to find good wedding soup in a restaurant; it's usually either bland or too salty. But Big Jim's gets it just right. They're other dishes are equally yummy and the portions are always huge. Love the pasta with white clam sauce - so many clams! Have also eaten the gnocchi but ordered it with a marinara rather than the meat sauce. They took a bit long to cook but were well worth the wait. Also, all pasta dishes come with a yummy warm and buttery garlic toast! Have also tried steak sandwich and the premium grilled chicken sandwich which are both also good. The bread is fabulous. Have never been hungry enough for dessert but I'm sure it would rock.
(5)
Amanda B.
I heard many good things about Big Jim's from my husband and friends as well as Yelp, so I knew I had to try it. We went at about 7pm on a Friday night and were seated right away. As the night went on the whole place filled up. I didn't have much expectation as to what the place looked like and I'm glad... It was definitely a dive, but a hidden gem. We got nachos and cheese for an appetizer and the portion was huge. It took a little while for our food to come out even after we were completely done with our appetizer. However, we had a small child with us and they were good about bringing her food out first. I got the chicken Parmesan hoagie. It was huge! A half of it would be comparable to a whole hoagie other places. It was pretty good. My husband had the open faced roast beef sandwich and fries and his friend had the roast beef au jus. They both liked their dishes, but thought the roast beef was a bit overdone. The gravy on the sandwich was amazing! Our other friend had the Reuben and it was the best Reuben I've ever had!! Our server was extremely attentive. We thought the portions were extremely generous for the price and we will definitely be back!
(4)
Michael P.
First off, regardless of the stars you see here, make sure you know what type of place this is. It is very much a DIVE/BAR, set in a residential area, and very easy to miss. The food is decent, but nothing to write home about. If you are of the mindset that large amounts of so-so tasting food at cheap prices = great place, then you will love it here. Probably not a place to take a first date - unless she is dressed in a Steeler's jersey.
(3)
Dom D.
Been coming here for about 25 years now, my late mother's favorite restaurant. Service is amazing, and the portions are huge! Love the roast beef sandwich and the chicken hoagie. Gotta try the veal sandwich one of these days!
(5)
GM O.
A staple in Pittsburgh. You get big portions in this place, so come hungry or you ll have leftovers for the next couple days. This time of year, it s all about fish! They have a Friday Lenten menu: Fish, fried or broiled, Mac n Cheese and or Huluski or Crabby cakes. Stop in at least one time during Lent.
(4)
Jean F.
This place is amazing. No questions about it. The food is always so delicious and the portions are massive. I'm a big fan of the fettuccine alfredo. The alfredo sauce is so creamy and buttery. It's better than most straight italian places in Pittsburgh. But don't be fooled this is not just an italian menu. The menu has so many different options to cater to whatever you might be craving on a particular evening. And it's all priced so incredibly reasonable. Great if you've got a couple of hungry kids you're trying to feed without breaking the bank. And, the beer selection is pretty extensive. They've recently added a huge beer list to the bar that will satisfy everyone from the light beer lovers to the craft beer connoisseurs. Again, without breaking the bank. It really is the perfect place to spend a night out without spending your whole paycheck. The staff is always so friendly, kind and attentive. Even if they're slammed and it takes a minute for them to serve you, they make a point to come over and let you know they're not ignoring you and will be over ASAP. It's always a treat to spend an evening at Big Jim's. Give it the highest recommendation.
Went to visit U of Pittsburgh with the college bound son. Have to always go to a triple D spot when I can. Out of the way, hard to find , at night. Parked in front of the neighbors house and only had to walk across the street which was great.i took a minute for safety as there were a few people out front and I wasn't sure at first glance which door to use to go inside. Inside to the left is a dinning room that we walked into. The room was soooo Very musty smelling that it was on the border of pull your shirt up to your nose to breath. Before we sat I checked the bar side and it was better. Not good but much better. The waitress was as nice as the tables were sticky. If you walked in this place with nobody around ,you would think it was abandoned for a few months. There is nothing wrong with being a Dive, but some Windex and a towel would go a long way.i could only imagine what there homes look like. Anyway we decided to stay. Good enough for Guy good enough for us. Hot open roast beef,fries, gravy was good. Lots lots of gravy on everything. I wish the beef wasn't sooo very well done but it all tasted like the gravy anyway. I would give it a 7. My son got the Reuben sandwich. He was not happy. He pulled a big chunk of fat/cartilage / something ,out of his mouth and lost interest after that. He picked at half and was not a fan of the sauerkraut. I tried it and it tasted spoiled. We took the other half to go and left it in our fridge in the hotel when we checked out of the hotel I said thank you to our waitress and left her a 25% tip because she was nice. If my son chooses this school I would never return . Just to show its not all bad.we visited Fuel and Fuddle near the college the next day for lunch. 10 out of 10. Really really good. ( and clean ,and lighted) unlike big jims.
(1)
Whitley S.
The food is outstanding!!! I usually get their chicken sandwiches and fries... So amazing! It was $22 for a small pizza, cheese fries, and a whole chicken sandwich. My BF and I split it, and had a ton left over. Which isn't bad at all considering the portions. It's a dive type of place with a bar. You can eat in or take out. It's a very random place in Greenfield, but the food was so delicious! They have a menu on their website too!
(5)
Matthew U.
*walks in, sets down soapbox, steps upon soapbox, clears throat* For all those people that kindly wrote a review on this place solely because you watched an episode of DDD, maybe you should have ordered exactly what was shown on the show and then left it at that. If you are going to come here because of the show, then do exactly what they did on the show and leave it at that. Don't bring down the whole place because what you ordered didn't look/taste like what was served on the show. *steps down and removes the soapbox* Now, since that is out of the way, let me move forward. Yes, this place is a little offsetting with the way it looks. It's a bit divey on the inside, well maybe more than a bit divey on the inside. That is exactly what gives this place character. It gives you the feel that you are in someones home from the 70s. TVs are around the place, tacky pictures and mirrors line the walls, and the chairs are mismatched. The servers kind of blend in a bit making it feel 70s more so. The menu, even though it looks small, takes a bit to look over. Be sure to look it over as well, you may pass up something that you really want. I opted for the open face turkey sandwich with fries. I was expecting to get a moderate amount of food as you do at other places, and I was fine by that. What I got on the other hand surely surprised me. When I saw the size of the plate, I was shocked. It was the size of a small platter, and the whole thing was covered in food. Two thick slices of bread, toasted and then topped with a heaping pile of turkey and then covered with gravy. And the fries, oh my god, the fries. They are fresh cut, on the smaller size, but still amazing. The gravy also topped these. It took me some time and determination, but I downed it all. For two meals, it cost us under $20. A meal of this caliber at any other place would definitely cost us more. Big Jim's is definitely worth getting lost in Greenfield to find a good meal. *Take out available with a fee.
(4)
Jill C.
I was going to complain about the fact that no one answered the phone when I called to place a take-out order--nor did they call me back within 30 minutes; or when I got there and realized there were 11 tables (only 3 filled) and 4 waitresses--all huddled together giggling at something; or when I asked for a glass of wine while I waited for my take-out order and she said "it really won't take them long" ,,,but then I got back to my condo (in the Village--a five minute walk in a now thunderstorm) and tasted my delicious BBQ sandwich with baked beans and I forgot everything that was wrong. Maybe it was the wine.
(3)
Adam J. V.
When I visit restaurants, I usually order TO GO. I also order 3 to 5 different meals, in order to objectively judge the establishments. Ordering one meal at Big Jim's is enough to feed 3 people AND THEY WILL ALL LOVE IT. One of the best reuben sandwiches outside of New York and GREAT DINNERS. If you are in Pittsburgh, skip Primanti's and go to Big Jim's.
(4)
P S.
Amazing! Went there this weekend and although hard to find, was totally worth it. Food was enormous and delicious. Prices were low and the wait staff was super friendly and very helpful. We go to Pittsburgh a lot so we will def. go back.
(5)
Justin M.
Anyone that doesn't know about Big Jim's, you sir, are in for a treat. I have been to this restaurant dozens of times, and every time I have been here, It's been exactly the same. When you walk into Big Jim's, you look like you're walking into an abandoned dive bar, It's not so clean, you can see the dust blowing around in the air, and there is 30 years of wear and tear, and the decor is a mix of old italian restaurant and catholic church. the tables and chairs are ugly, and usually kinda sticky. Now that's out of the way, lets talk about service. Abysmal. There is one, two servers tops in the place, and you can wait up to 20 minutes to get drinks. The food takes a bit of time as well due to the short staff, but this is standard in a dive bar/restaurant. So you're probably saying to yourself, why did you give this place 4 stars Justin? Weeeeelllll, the food is fantastic. If you get a sandwich, expect it to be so big, you have to take a second, collect yourself, and formulate a plan as to how to even get this thing in your mouth. The veal parmesan sandwich, is the size of a large dinner plate, and just stacked with fried veal (and only 11.95, seriously?!) The pizzas have so much cheese, it makes me want to weep. I have never had anything on the menu that hasn't been cheap, oversized, and crazy good. For your basic bar foods, this place is killing it. If you don't mind waiting for it. They have a short staff on at all times, but they're passing the savings on to you!
(4)
Tameeka S.
We came. We ate. It was good but not the best I've had. Not a complaint just an opinion.
(3)
Marcus J.
This place is a tucked away little gem in the burgh. The atmosphere is... interesting, but the food is delicious. Their white pizza is the best (with tomatoes). Their Pittsburgh salads are humongous. If you haven't made the trek to this joint in the run, you definitely should. You may find yourself taking your friends their to show it off...
(5)
Melissa A.
Really disappointed by eggplant parmagian. Had no flavor and barely any sauce or cheese, looked really good until biting in. Atmosphere was terrible too, would not have minded if the food was great though.
(1)
David R.
Food is pretty good. Menu is huge! It takes a while to decide what you want. Service can be fast, or slow depending on how many people are in your party, and how much food you ordered. I usually get the chicken hoodie with fries when I am there. I guarantee you that you will leave with left over, because the portions are pretty much the largest in Pittsburgh.
(4)
James D.
Triple D heaven. Epitomizes dive joint. Awesome service and massive amounts of food for your money. Would eat here every day if I lived in Pittsburgh. Definitely going back. Check out my food pics of meatball hoagie and open faced hot turkey sammich. Insanely good. Seriously, stop reading and go to Big Jim's.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Shreyas V.
We went here, encouraged by the reviews on yelp. Definitely not disappointed. Got take out, but had to wait around 40 min for our order.. So make sure you call in if you're planning on take out. Tried the reuben sandwich and it was pretty good... one of the best I've tasted in Pittsburgh. My wife got the lasagne and she liked it. The serving size is HUGE.. Will easily last for more than 1 meal. Definitely coming back here to try other stuff on their menu.
(4)Todd B.
Great place for families and Italian food. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, this place really does have sandwiches as.big as your head. It's crazy. Great hometown service. Small place. Get there early or be willing to wait. But trust me, it's worth the wait. Great chicken parm, fried zucchini, HUGE sandwiches and the calzones are as big as a small child. Am not kidding. Worth the weight, I mean wait. Great place. Loved every minute.
(4)Tara B.
Excellent find. We came here because of Yelp reviews. And we're really happy we did. Our table of nine started at the bar for an hour and had great appetizers (the bartender steered us to zucchini and it was fantastic). We loved seeing the various foods come to the tables. Our table had massive amounts of food. Perhaps the best was the corned beef on rye. It was incredible. So was the meatball sub. That was pretty amazing too. If and when I get back to Pittsburgh, off all the places I dined, this is THE ONE I would make a point to return to.
(4)Mike H.
If you follow me on the rest of my social media (HITTofMCM) then you've been waiting for this review. I know that you come to Yelp to find out about the actual product, the Food, and I'll get to that, but Big Jims isn't just about the food no matter how good it is, it's about what this place stands for. Living in Pittsburgh my whole life I can't believe I've never been. The building has been in the GreenField Run since the early 1900's but the restaurant opened in 1977. I've eaten at a lot of places, I've BEEN to a lot of places, but sitting in Big Jims waiting for my food I couldn't help but feel at home, even a bit emotional from the love oozing from this place. I sat at the bar and had the pleasure of having a gentlemen by the name of Scott serve me my Bahama Mama. He started there in 1997 and said he could never see himself working for anyone else even before they appeared on the famous food show DINERS, DRIVE INS AND DIVES. He asked me about myself and what I do and I told him about IM SO BURGH and other things all while he tended to everyone who was there and everyone who came in as if they were all one big family. He knew everyone by name, he knew what some people wanted before they ordered it and he and all the staff operated in a way that wasn't overly friendly and fake but, honest a bit exhausted from life and always with a smile just like it would be at home after a long day. I told him all my Facebook family encouraged me to come here after I posted how I wanted the best Reuben Sandwich I could find in the city of Pittsburgh. While I waited for the food he pointed out they are going through a bit of a revitalization getting new carpet put in, painting tiles and changing walls as if it was renovations in his own home. He pointed out photos of before they were open and a big portrait of Big Jim himself looking all Tony Soprano. He appeared to be a man who got respect and gave it just the same. If I based this review alone on my experience and atmosphere it would get 5 stars but then my food came and as I write this, I wish Yelp had a 6 star system. My Reuben entered my place at the bar like a prize winning champion. The Rye bread was toasted just enough to give it that crisp texture but not too much. The sauerkraut and Swiss was just right and the thousand island dressing was just enough to marinate and flavor but the star of any Reuben is the meat and this didn't disappoint. Thinly shaved, grilled just right with not a moment of chewiness or toughness it melted in your mouth all the way to the last bite. Everything on the sandwich played its role like a team of ingredients should, and just in case I liked a little more Thousand Island, without even asking Scott made sure I had it right by my plate. Each bite made me a little bit more sad because I knew it was coming to an end. Like a night out with good friends that you wish lasted forever, that's how I felt about my closing time with this Reuben, Scott and Big Jims as a whole. I'll be back. I promised them that. Once to take my woman to dinner and a third time to spread the word with friends. The fourth time though, I'll need another solo visit to recapture that first visit feel all over again. If you're from Pittsburgh or just visiting skip the chain places and head to Big Jims, they have something for everyone.
(5)Emily L.
I wonder if there is a crowd surge at Big Jim's every time their episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives airs. My husband and I had watched the episode earlier in the week and were feeling Italian so we decided to make the short hike from South Side. I ordered a bowl of Wedding Soup and half of a meatball hoagie. He ordered the lasagna. The meatballs are good and the hoagie hit the spot, largely due to the bread and melted cheese. The wedding soup is delicious! Neither of us were impressed by the lasagna. There wasn't much flavor / seasoning aside from the sauce which is a little on the safe "no indigestion afterwards" side. The portions are generous and the atmosphere is definitely divey with late 70's decor and a dedicated clientele of local regulars. I would say it's a great place for a sandwich, soup and a beer. I was eyeing up the jumbo wings someone at the bar ordered. I would definitely give Big Jim's another shot.
(2)Mitchell B.
My favorite spot in Pittsburgh when I'm hungry. The portions are big and so is the flavor. You cannot beat this place. Their house Italian is great and while their Veal Parm is simple, it is done very well. If you want to have a cheap, relaxed meal and do not mind dated, dusty paintings that you may find in your grandmother's attic on the walls around you, then go to Big Jim's.
(5)Lambert P.
My friend said this place was on triple D and he wanted to try it so we ended up going. Big Jim's in the Run is essentially right in the middle of a residential zone. It doesn't really feel like you are walking into a business at first because of the area you drove through to get there. You will most likely end up parking on the street in front of somebody's home nearby. This place has what I call quintessential "American Italian". What that means is that it's not necessarily Italian but rather Americanized Italian food which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's just not the same. The first thing you will notice is that the decor is very simple. This place is the last "D" in the title of the show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives". This place is a dive and it's part of the charm of the place. They are not trying to be anything outside of what they are besides themselves which is what makes this place genuine. The servings at this place are really large in that one dish can maybe feed 2 people. If each of your party orders a dish you will most likely not finish your meal. The salads are huge, the bread comes to the table at first the entrees will fill you up big time. The food at the same time is good as well. The lasagna has A LOT of ricotta in it... almost too much. The veal sandwich I ordered was almost the size of the plate! All that being said it's not a lot of money for a lot of food. While it's not the greatest Italian food I've had it's one of the better American Italian food places I've eaten at and I can't say you leave hungry because the portions are beyond generous to the point of being family sized. The service was very welcoming and friendly.
(3)Christy B.
Found this place on the Food Network app from the Diners, Drive-In & Dives show. I was concerned about going in as it truly is a hole in the wall place but this was the best meal of our entire vacation from NC to Canada. We had the eggplant parmigiana sub, chicken parmigiana sub & fettuccine alfredo- all were fabulous!
(5)Vinny A.
I ate the WHOLE calzone and didn't even get a t-shirt?!? Really? Not even a discount?!? Seriously, my stomach hurts so bad right now, but I conquered the beast. The whole, delicious beast in all of its entirety. This place is not a diner, not a drive-in...definitely a dive, but, man is it good! Came with a business party of about twelve and the place accommodated us just fine and without hesitation. Everyone loved their food, so I'll definitely be back...though next time for a MUCH smaller portion...or at least when I have portion-control. Super delicious and a super dive! Gotta' love places like this! Cheers!
(4)Casey S.
One of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh. Certainly a hidden gem. I of course have to comment on the absolute delicious wedding soup. It's hard to find good wedding soup in a restaurant; it's usually either bland or too salty. But Big Jim's gets it just right. They're other dishes are equally yummy and the portions are always huge. Love the pasta with white clam sauce - so many clams! Have also eaten the gnocchi but ordered it with a marinara rather than the meat sauce. They took a bit long to cook but were well worth the wait. Also, all pasta dishes come with a yummy warm and buttery garlic toast! Have also tried steak sandwich and the premium grilled chicken sandwich which are both also good. The bread is fabulous. Have never been hungry enough for dessert but I'm sure it would rock.
(5)Amanda B.
I heard many good things about Big Jim's from my husband and friends as well as Yelp, so I knew I had to try it. We went at about 7pm on a Friday night and were seated right away. As the night went on the whole place filled up. I didn't have much expectation as to what the place looked like and I'm glad... It was definitely a dive, but a hidden gem. We got nachos and cheese for an appetizer and the portion was huge. It took a little while for our food to come out even after we were completely done with our appetizer. However, we had a small child with us and they were good about bringing her food out first. I got the chicken Parmesan hoagie. It was huge! A half of it would be comparable to a whole hoagie other places. It was pretty good. My husband had the open faced roast beef sandwich and fries and his friend had the roast beef au jus. They both liked their dishes, but thought the roast beef was a bit overdone. The gravy on the sandwich was amazing! Our other friend had the Reuben and it was the best Reuben I've ever had!! Our server was extremely attentive. We thought the portions were extremely generous for the price and we will definitely be back!
(4)Michael P.
First off, regardless of the stars you see here, make sure you know what type of place this is. It is very much a DIVE/BAR, set in a residential area, and very easy to miss. The food is decent, but nothing to write home about. If you are of the mindset that large amounts of so-so tasting food at cheap prices = great place, then you will love it here. Probably not a place to take a first date - unless she is dressed in a Steeler's jersey.
(3)Dom D.
Been coming here for about 25 years now, my late mother's favorite restaurant. Service is amazing, and the portions are huge! Love the roast beef sandwich and the chicken hoagie. Gotta try the veal sandwich one of these days!
(5)GM O.
A staple in Pittsburgh. You get big portions in this place, so come hungry or you ll have leftovers for the next couple days. This time of year, it s all about fish! They have a Friday Lenten menu: Fish, fried or broiled, Mac n Cheese and or Huluski or Crabby cakes. Stop in at least one time during Lent.
(4)Jean F.
This place is amazing. No questions about it. The food is always so delicious and the portions are massive. I'm a big fan of the fettuccine alfredo. The alfredo sauce is so creamy and buttery. It's better than most straight italian places in Pittsburgh. But don't be fooled this is not just an italian menu. The menu has so many different options to cater to whatever you might be craving on a particular evening. And it's all priced so incredibly reasonable. Great if you've got a couple of hungry kids you're trying to feed without breaking the bank. And, the beer selection is pretty extensive. They've recently added a huge beer list to the bar that will satisfy everyone from the light beer lovers to the craft beer connoisseurs. Again, without breaking the bank. It really is the perfect place to spend a night out without spending your whole paycheck. The staff is always so friendly, kind and attentive. Even if they're slammed and it takes a minute for them to serve you, they make a point to come over and let you know they're not ignoring you and will be over ASAP. It's always a treat to spend an evening at Big Jim's. Give it the highest recommendation.
(5)Jesse T.
I've had a lot of great sandwiches in the Burgh. Szmidt's, Peppi's and primanti's, they all put out a great product. But the Best Sandwich that I have had in Pittsburgh?? The Reuben at Big Jims in the Run, Greenfield. Sooo spectacular!!! Perfect in every way. I haven't eaten at Gaucha Parilla Argentina yet, so I won't call it the best in the Burgh. But it is the best so far.
(5)Andrea A.
This place is awesome. My fiancé and I were on the way home from Ohio. We saw the sign for Pittsburgh and decided to just take a detour. I found this place on the mytvfoodmaps app and saw it was featured on diners, driveins and dives. It's definitely in the dive category but the food is amazing. Its also not in a very commercial place so finding it might be a little hard. We ordered the wing dings to start. They're breaded fried wings. Came out quick hot so you know its fresh. My fiance ordered the open roast beef sandwich. Its topped with gravy and fries. I tried a little bit and I was really good. I ordered half a meatball hoagie. Even for a half a hoagie it was huge. My sandwich was really good too. Our total bill was $25 and we left full and comatosed. If you're in the area and want a laid back place this is definitely a place to try. The food was awesome and the service was great!
(5)Dan T.
Went to visit U of Pittsburgh with the college bound son. Have to always go to a triple D spot when I can. Out of the way, hard to find , at night. Parked in front of the neighbors house and only had to walk across the street which was great.i took a minute for safety as there were a few people out front and I wasn't sure at first glance which door to use to go inside. Inside to the left is a dinning room that we walked into. The room was soooo Very musty smelling that it was on the border of pull your shirt up to your nose to breath. Before we sat I checked the bar side and it was better. Not good but much better. The waitress was as nice as the tables were sticky. If you walked in this place with nobody around ,you would think it was abandoned for a few months. There is nothing wrong with being a Dive, but some Windex and a towel would go a long way.i could only imagine what there homes look like. Anyway we decided to stay. Good enough for Guy good enough for us. Hot open roast beef,fries, gravy was good. Lots lots of gravy on everything. I wish the beef wasn't sooo very well done but it all tasted like the gravy anyway. I would give it a 7. My son got the Reuben sandwich. He was not happy. He pulled a big chunk of fat/cartilage / something ,out of his mouth and lost interest after that. He picked at half and was not a fan of the sauerkraut. I tried it and it tasted spoiled. We took the other half to go and left it in our fridge in the hotel when we checked out of the hotel I said thank you to our waitress and left her a 25% tip because she was nice. If my son chooses this school I would never return . Just to show its not all bad.we visited Fuel and Fuddle near the college the next day for lunch. 10 out of 10. Really really good. ( and clean ,and lighted) unlike big jims.
(1)Whitley S.
The food is outstanding!!! I usually get their chicken sandwiches and fries... So amazing! It was $22 for a small pizza, cheese fries, and a whole chicken sandwich. My BF and I split it, and had a ton left over. Which isn't bad at all considering the portions. It's a dive type of place with a bar. You can eat in or take out. It's a very random place in Greenfield, but the food was so delicious! They have a menu on their website too!
(5)Drew H.
Solid three stars and as others have said it's 100% a dive. Had chicken parm dinner and some meatballs on the side. The parm was right around average and the meatballs were definitely below par. However, for the price and the amount of food you get there is definitely good value for the money, but not somewhere that I have to rush back to next time I'm in Pittsburgh.
(3)Gail B.
The place doesn't look the best but food is excellent and the service is fantastic! My husband always gets pizza or open face roast beef n gravy. I get lasagna (which gives me 3meals) or a sandwich. My granddaughter's love to go there. They get there own personal pizza which is huge. Big Jim's was also on "Diners, Drive in and Dives". Guy showed the spaghetti being made, he gave the recipe. Also, I forgot to mention they have the best wedding soup in Pittsburgh.
(5)Matthew U.
*walks in, sets down soapbox, steps upon soapbox, clears throat* For all those people that kindly wrote a review on this place solely because you watched an episode of DDD, maybe you should have ordered exactly what was shown on the show and then left it at that. If you are going to come here because of the show, then do exactly what they did on the show and leave it at that. Don't bring down the whole place because what you ordered didn't look/taste like what was served on the show. *steps down and removes the soapbox* Now, since that is out of the way, let me move forward. Yes, this place is a little offsetting with the way it looks. It's a bit divey on the inside, well maybe more than a bit divey on the inside. That is exactly what gives this place character. It gives you the feel that you are in someones home from the 70s. TVs are around the place, tacky pictures and mirrors line the walls, and the chairs are mismatched. The servers kind of blend in a bit making it feel 70s more so. The menu, even though it looks small, takes a bit to look over. Be sure to look it over as well, you may pass up something that you really want. I opted for the open face turkey sandwich with fries. I was expecting to get a moderate amount of food as you do at other places, and I was fine by that. What I got on the other hand surely surprised me. When I saw the size of the plate, I was shocked. It was the size of a small platter, and the whole thing was covered in food. Two thick slices of bread, toasted and then topped with a heaping pile of turkey and then covered with gravy. And the fries, oh my god, the fries. They are fresh cut, on the smaller size, but still amazing. The gravy also topped these. It took me some time and determination, but I downed it all. For two meals, it cost us under $20. A meal of this caliber at any other place would definitely cost us more. Big Jim's is definitely worth getting lost in Greenfield to find a good meal. *Take out available with a fee.
(4)Jill C.
I was going to complain about the fact that no one answered the phone when I called to place a take-out order--nor did they call me back within 30 minutes; or when I got there and realized there were 11 tables (only 3 filled) and 4 waitresses--all huddled together giggling at something; or when I asked for a glass of wine while I waited for my take-out order and she said "it really won't take them long" ,,,but then I got back to my condo (in the Village--a five minute walk in a now thunderstorm) and tasted my delicious BBQ sandwich with baked beans and I forgot everything that was wrong. Maybe it was the wine.
(3)Adam J. V.
When I visit restaurants, I usually order TO GO. I also order 3 to 5 different meals, in order to objectively judge the establishments. Ordering one meal at Big Jim's is enough to feed 3 people AND THEY WILL ALL LOVE IT. One of the best reuben sandwiches outside of New York and GREAT DINNERS. If you are in Pittsburgh, skip Primanti's and go to Big Jim's.
(4)P S.
Amazing! Went there this weekend and although hard to find, was totally worth it. Food was enormous and delicious. Prices were low and the wait staff was super friendly and very helpful. We go to Pittsburgh a lot so we will def. go back.
(5)Justin M.
Anyone that doesn't know about Big Jim's, you sir, are in for a treat. I have been to this restaurant dozens of times, and every time I have been here, It's been exactly the same. When you walk into Big Jim's, you look like you're walking into an abandoned dive bar, It's not so clean, you can see the dust blowing around in the air, and there is 30 years of wear and tear, and the decor is a mix of old italian restaurant and catholic church. the tables and chairs are ugly, and usually kinda sticky. Now that's out of the way, lets talk about service. Abysmal. There is one, two servers tops in the place, and you can wait up to 20 minutes to get drinks. The food takes a bit of time as well due to the short staff, but this is standard in a dive bar/restaurant. So you're probably saying to yourself, why did you give this place 4 stars Justin? Weeeeelllll, the food is fantastic. If you get a sandwich, expect it to be so big, you have to take a second, collect yourself, and formulate a plan as to how to even get this thing in your mouth. The veal parmesan sandwich, is the size of a large dinner plate, and just stacked with fried veal (and only 11.95, seriously?!) The pizzas have so much cheese, it makes me want to weep. I have never had anything on the menu that hasn't been cheap, oversized, and crazy good. For your basic bar foods, this place is killing it. If you don't mind waiting for it. They have a short staff on at all times, but they're passing the savings on to you!
(4)Tameeka S.
We came. We ate. It was good but not the best I've had. Not a complaint just an opinion.
(3)Marcus J.
This place is a tucked away little gem in the burgh. The atmosphere is... interesting, but the food is delicious. Their white pizza is the best (with tomatoes). Their Pittsburgh salads are humongous. If you haven't made the trek to this joint in the run, you definitely should. You may find yourself taking your friends their to show it off...
(5)Melissa A.
Really disappointed by eggplant parmagian. Had no flavor and barely any sauce or cheese, looked really good until biting in. Atmosphere was terrible too, would not have minded if the food was great though.
(1)David R.
Food is pretty good. Menu is huge! It takes a while to decide what you want. Service can be fast, or slow depending on how many people are in your party, and how much food you ordered. I usually get the chicken hoodie with fries when I am there. I guarantee you that you will leave with left over, because the portions are pretty much the largest in Pittsburgh.
(4)James D.
Triple D heaven. Epitomizes dive joint. Awesome service and massive amounts of food for your money. Would eat here every day if I lived in Pittsburgh. Definitely going back. Check out my food pics of meatball hoagie and open faced hot turkey sammich. Insanely good. Seriously, stop reading and go to Big Jim's.
(5)Bob K.
I do not even know where to start. I worked here when Big Jim and Joyce were here. I do not live in Pittsburgh any more and only get back once every 3-4 years. First look it's still the same. But this place is DIRTY. From the front cash register to the pictures in the back dining area. Had the wedding soup that hasn't changed flavorful more veggies and meat than broth as Jim and Joyce always liked it. Fried zucchini was really greasy and the marinara was In a plastic cup. I know it's not fine dining but that was never done. Spaghetti and meat sauce. That was very watery but nicely cooked pasta. Garlic bread was hard as rocks but the watery sauce softened it up. They need to shut down for a week and paint and clean. Staff was just OK, not outstanding as has been in the past. No pride in the work. This hurts my heart it write this review. But the truth is the truth and it's time to face it.
(1)Miriam M.
Delicious!!! Home cooking in a down-to-earth dive. Exactly what I was expecting...excellent food, generous portions and more than reasonable prices. How often can you say you've been to a place where you're satisfied in your belly and happy with the price you paid? The Italian wedding soup was homemade and incredibly tasty. Don't expect a fancy presentation, but know you're getting homemade soup. The salads leave much to be desired, but the house made Italian dressing made me gobble up the lettuce adorned with two olives and one cherry tomato. On to the main dish--definitely order the veal parmigiana dinner AND the meatballs with spaghetti. The veal was hot and fresh! Meatballs were moist and jumbo sized. We truly enjoyed our meal. Actually, we were curious to try dessert--but the server informed us that they don't offer any sweets because no one can ever finish their plate!!! Love it and will definitely be back!!! Thanks Guy Fieri!!!
(4)Debby R.
Did not disappoint the veal parm sandwich IS as big as your head and is enough for 3 meals. Is also delicious, the fresh cut fries with beef gravy were perfect! Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful well worth the visit
(4)Andrew K.
Big Jim's is an unassuming restaurant in an unassuming neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Most people don't know where "the run" is or where lower greenfield is. Big Jim's makes it worth investigating. This is place is the quintessential Pittsburgh dive, but the red Italian is amazeballs. We split a bowl of the wedding soup with was easily the best version that I have ever had. The escarole really makes it. I had the chicken parmesan dinner. The included salad was forgettable but the entree was great. Large crisp chicken breast smothered in a borderline inappropriate amount of cheese. I got the pasta and it was a little overcooked but serviceable. My meal was large enough to split with someone but what came next was just downright dirty. The calzone is at Big Jim's is ridiculous. It needs to come with a warning other than that it takes 45 minutes. I am not kidding these calzones could double as tomatoey warming blankets for italian newborns. My wife and I couldn't come close to finish this. As for the service, I would like to call it, Pittsburgh friendly. Meaning that in any other city you would assume your server was rude and incompetent but in Pittsburgh it is normal. Just now what you want before your server gets there. Bottom line, this place is a dive in the BEST way. Take the time to get to the run.
(4)Spencer K.
You feel at home when you enter this restaurant. Stained green carpet and large portions reminds you of dinner at grandmas. My first time at Jim's was on a freezing Pittsburgh night. As I walked into this famed restaurant I was met with the specials scrawled on a chalkboard. After being quickly seated I ordered a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings and it was hot and delicious. After that, I ordered the fries with gravy and the veal parmigiana sandwich. The sandwich was huge (big enough that two grown men shared it as a meal) and the fries were crispy with a delicious brown gravy. Overall, I was very satisfied with my meal, the atmosphere and the people at Big Jim's!
(4)Gilles D.
Came here on my wife's whim, will be coming back for sure. We started with the eggplant parm appetizer and when it came out I thought it was mistakenly an entree. Nope it is just huge! And delicious. I got the large fish sandwich which is not a misnomer. Two giant fillets on a bun, I didn't even make it to the bun before I was full!!! The staff was great, nice little atmosphere and for the price I do not think you can beat the portions anywhere in the city.
(5)Kelsey R.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN PITTSBURGH. Their calzones are seriously twice as big as my head. They're huge! Great, quality Italian and comfort food at incredible prices. Usually packed with locals, a little divey... Love it!
(5)Keven K.
We had a group of 11, including 3 kids. I had seen this featured on food networks DDD with guy fieri, and combined with a strong yelp rating, figured this was worth a stop. We had an afternoon game at consol energy center so this place was 8 minutes from the arena. The portions are beyond enormous--is there a word for that? Our tale had Stromboli, which could have fed 3. Kids had the children's pasta which was way too much for any kid, but ok. I had he meatball sub half size, which was fine. Pizza was quite good too. I think everyone was very satisfied, and filled, by their meal. Prices are very reasonable. The service was good. I had read, and heard, that service was either a nightmare or good. We lucked out as our server was very attentive and happy to split our group into 3 checks. We got there at 430 on a Saturday, I had called the day before since we were a large group. Not many tables full at 430, but by 530 there was a wait at the door. Great stop!
(4)T-Bone R.
What you see is what you get. A dive serving mediocre food in large portions. The wedding soup was ok but a tad salty. The pasta dishes were decent but was a little bland. Good red sauce and respectable meatballs. The veal parm sandwich was epic huge but also a little bland. The staff were very friendly. Not a bad stop, but not a DDD winner.
(3)Isabella L.
Big Jim's was the first place I hit up on my cross-country trip from Philly to L.A., so I was expecting delicious, gut busting, bad-for-you food in large quantities, and that's what I got :) I ordered the lasagna. Someone on Yelp said it was big as a head - yeah, they weren't kidding. This lasagna was huge and boy was it good. I give it a 4 out of 5, although I'm not sure if they could do much more to improve it - I think they should add another type of cheese to the top to make it a tad more flavorful, but that's my take. My husband got the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were not as big as I expected, but their slightly spicy flavor was really awesome. The pasta and garlic bread were just right too. All right so the food has me around 5 stars, but why the 4? Well, I could handle being in a shady part of town and the overall dark, dreary character of the place, cause as Guy said on Triple D it's a Dive - fine. But at these type of places I expect really good service from friendly people. Well, we had 2 servers - one was friendly but really difficult to get over to the table and the other was less likely to come around without being harassed and also seemed annoyed with everyone there. For the out-of-towners deciding between Big Jim's and something like Primanti Bros, go with Big Jim's - seriously.
(4)Amber H.
I've been here a couple times and like it --- it's comfortable in a yinzer way. The walls have dark paneling, the food is unpretentious, the portions are huge, the bill is low - and the service is pleasant but not overly chatty/fake. My favorites on the menu are chicken parm and pizza. The chicken parm is huge (2-3 meals on a plate, basically). The chicken isn't pounded too thin, which is key because they do put a decent amount of "crust" on the chicken (which I happen to like because mmm FRIED BATTER) and the pasta isn't overcooked. Pizza isn't thin crust -- but it's not pan thick either. I love it for that reason. It holds up to the tons of cheese (that actually melts into goo without being a gummy mess). The pasta and pizza sauces are good -- on the sweeter side, but not overly so. Husband likes the turkey club - it has a ton of thick sliced turkey breast. I'm mainly taking a star off because I don't like their fries, which are homemade shoe string. I am kind of picky when it comes to fries -- so, maybe I am being too critical. I just found them to be kind of mushy and weak. Maybe I just got a bad batch? I dunno, after having them once, I never ordered them again. The neighborhood is just fine. Unless working class neighborhoods and urban infrastructure scares you. I think it reads as sketchy to some people because it's tiny, nothing is fancy, and the businesses aren't all clustered together. The Run looks like a small working class town.
(4)Katonah O.
Massive servings, friendly folks. First timer. Decent meal all around. I had the Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, so I had to try it here. Great big tasty bread (toasted, not grilled), yummy kraut and cheese. But the corned beef .. well, they didn't cook it there. Must have come in with the rest of the cold cuts. Not the reubens I'm used to. I will come by for the veal parm, though. There's enough quality to bring me back.
(3)Tatyana K.
I first noticed this place on my run, then I came across it in a Pittsburgh traveling guide and finally, some 5 months later, I had an opportunity to visit yesterday. It's in a part of Greenfield called The Run, tucked away from main roads and traffic. Parking is super easy, the neighborhood looks a little sketch but I've ran here at night in the dark and it seems fine. The restaurant was packed! For this location, I thought it would be pretty empty. Lots of families, relaxing and enjoying their huge dinners. We were seated right away, with people constantly checking up on us, right away we got beer and menus. I'd say we had 3 waiters as all of them made sure everything was great. The food is home-style, comfort food - lots of hoagies, sandwiches and pasta, they have their menu online. I ordered a 2-bill sandwich: corned beef, swiss cheese, slaw and a fried egg. It was HUGE and came with more coleslaw. It sounds like they only have 4 beers on tap. Highlight of my meal - noticing Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives poster on a wall, autographed. I'm not a huge fan of the show but still thought it pretty cool to eat at a place featured on Food Network's show!
(4)Bernard S.
There are a million places that serve food like this in Pittsburgh. The thing that sets Big Jim's apart is that it tastes reeeeeeel good and they give you ALOT of food. One thing food places similar to Big Jim's does to offset the mediocre food is the portion, in the run the food tastes better and the portions set the bar again. The calzone is a large supreme pizza folded in half. It typically takes me 3 meals to complete it. The Reuben is solid, big thick and flavorful as the toppings overflow the sides of the marble rye bread. The burgers, I feel are a little lacking, but they offer a black bean burger. The eggplant parm appetizer is easily a filling meal for one person.
(4)David L.
Saw it on DDD. It was awesome. Reuben sandwich was great. My friends had a fish sandwich and a 2 bill sandwich and they loved theirs. When I get back to Pittsburgh will definitely eat there again. Worth the trip. Once again, its AWESOME!
(5)Ed B.
I saw Big Jim's on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Went there when in Pittsburgh with my son visiting Pitt, had a great lunch. My son went to Pitt and I have been back several times. The food is very good, large servings and reasonably priced. This place will surprise you. It is off the beaten path. You have to be looking for it because it is below the highway in a neighborhood that leads nowhere to my knowledge. It is unattractive at best but the service is good, food is very good, fresh, plentiful and very reasonable. If you like good food, funky places and you are not a snob stop in and give it a try.
(5)Ryan P.
I went here expecting the worst, and was pleasantly surprised - the place is funky. Expect huge portions of cheap, fairly good although on the greasy side... food. Bring your apetite! The calzone is big enough to feed four for dinner, easily. Salad was okay, and the salmon sandwich was better than expected (but not great). Next time I crave some hearty food, I'll probably come back and get a pizza or calzone.
(4)Annie Q.
I love the calzones and that seems to be the best thing on the menu. The spicy meat Calzone might be the best folded pizza I've ever had. Portions are Huge. WE did see a pasta being ordered once- HUGE HUGE HUGE. The only other thing worth a visit for is the new breakfast. It is a grease heaven. The potatoes are kicking but huge in number. Pancakes put the word cake back in the equation. It feels really good after a drinking night and I recommend it. But go for the calzones. They are HUGE- imagine large pizza folded for maybe 8 bucks or something amazing. Feeds 3-4 EASILY. I barely barely can eat a fourth, and i love my food (know what I mean). Owners really nice to. Overall, solid Greenfield place.
(4)Kay E.
The only reason I want to try this little dive tucked away on a barely lit street was because my dear dad saw it listed in one of his cooking magazines since it had been featured on DDD (you know the show I mean). I wish I knew what Guy recommended so I could decided what to try from the massive selection! I am not a burger person, but the hot pot roast and fries with gravy sounded pretty good to me! When I saw the gigantic plate coming from the kitchen I knew right away I couldn't finish it. For the price, the portion size alone is a value! I did also order Wedding soup. Something I never even heard of before moving to Pittsburgh, The soup itself was very delicious. Not bland and with few meatballs (which is FINE with me!). At least I didn't have to ask for the Parmesan cheese, the server brought it out with the soup. My meal itself was just okay. The bread was kind of tough and hard to cut. The beef didn't have much flavor, but the gravy helped this. The fries, sadly, tasted like the oil they were cooked in needed changed badly. At first I though maybe it was just that there was still skin left on the potatoes, but Darren pointed out the oil problem. Another comment, WHAT IS WITH THIS AREA AND CURT SERVERS??? If you aren't from Pittsburgh I think you'll be shocked at the rudeness. Darren seems used to it (swearing that "they aren't being rude")...and if this is what you get used to here, I am heartbroken. Is friendly service too much to ask for? If I decide to come back, I will try a different sandwich.
(3)Russ D.
My review is based strictly on the rueben and/or two-bill sandwiches. Hands down the best in the city, and yes I've been to Szmidt's. It's the go to spot for my g/f's family to celebrate birthday's, and I'm looking forward to another sandwich tomorrow night for that very reason. Yes it's a dive, but it's comfortable, and I appreciate a place that doesn't take it self too seriously.
(4)Amanda E.
I love Big Jim's. It's honestly my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh. The portions are huge, the food is delicious and the price is good! I've had the lasagna several times and it has never disappointed. Seriously the portion is huge! The servers are always friendly and attentive, I've never had a bad experience at this restaurant.
(5)T.C. J.
Great neighborhood, great little divey place, and good food at great prices. I play basketball at the hoops courts down in the Run and often will stop by Big Jim's afterward to get some much needed sustenance. The portions are huge and almost everything is good. The last time I was there I got the Reuben and it did not disappoint. Stacked high with meat and good tasting and I think it was only around 8 dollars. The service at the bar isn't all that attentive, but by no means is poor. It is exactly what you would expect at a place like this. If you are looking for a fancy night out this surely isn't the place, but it is absolutely perfect for what it is. Cheap food and drinks in huge portions.
(4)Daniel C.
Yes, the portions are gigantic..the calzone one of my party ordered was about the size of a Ford Pinto. This is a wonderful, gritty place, that is oozing with character. The food is more than decent, and our waitress was a sweetheart. The prices are very reasonable. Be sure to check out the condom dispenser in the men's room for a very funny inscription a patron has written on it.
(3)Michael M.
This is somewhere between 3 and 4 (give it a 3.5). The chicken parm hoagie is a 5. It is awesome - big, tasty, awesome. Wife got stuffed shells - they were good, the cheese was fresh and soft. I liked the marinara, but the wife said it was just ok, a little bland. Meatballs did lack flavor - pretty bland and a little disappointing. Excellent service - seemed like a real neighborhood place. The pizza looked damn good - we would definitely go back.
(3)Ed C.
Had the reuben, which was good and big enough for two. Will try the veal parmagian sandwich next time.
(4)Chuck B.
My wife and I are Triple D junkies so we try to find places wherever we travel that Guy has been to. Last night we tried Big Jim's. She had the Chicken Parm sandwich and I had the Gnocchi. Both were fabulous. Obviously, the sandwich was way to big for one sitting snowed took the rest for a late night snack.
(5)Joseph S.
This is a great neighborhood restaurant/bar. I went with friends on the recommendation of a Food Network host, and was not disappointed. The food is greasy, delicious, and comes in large portions. Not to mention, it's cheap. Be prepared to wait, though - it's a popular place!
(4)Elena C.
What a hole in the wall! But who cares? The food is delicious. :) We started off with house salads. The dressing was awesome but I handed my olives over to T who gladly accepted. For my meal I had the chicken parm. The plate was the size of my body. Not my head, my body. Delicious. Covered in gooey cheese and piping hot, rich red sauce. Yum. The pasta was less impressive and the reason for the missing star above. Bland bland bland. Just needed to add a little salt to the cooking water and all would have been well. But no matter. I concentrated on the chicken and left stuffed. I would definitely go back to try other offerings. The sandwiches were obscenely large but looked awesome.
(4)Matt D.
Take a step back with me: The year, circa 1985. When the family Chevy wagon heads out on a Saturday afternoon jaunt from the Pittsburgh suburbs with all 5 kids in tow, we all know that, while the zoo/museum/ballgame is going to be fun, the highlight is going to be the dinner stop at Big Jim's. After which the overloaded sky-blue Impala (with its overloaded occupants), will lumber back onto the parkway east, stuffed and homeward bound... Yeah, my old man was thrifty (5 kids will do that to you), this was about all of the dining out we ever did as a family. But he certainly had taste! I can proudly say I have been enjoying Big Jim's for more than 20 of my 30 years... as good now as it was then (or better, as I can now share in the pitchers). I'm glad to see that the other Yelp reviews here treat it as it should be treated, not as haute cuisine (some other online reviews questioned the cleanliness of the bathrooms, which appear to have been last sanitized shortly before I started going there. This was also the last time the condom dispenser was replenished, judging by the written descriptions), but as what it truly is: your yinzer cousin's woodgrained-laminate basement rec-room, only with fantastic, gigantic portions of Pittsburgh comfort food, served by friendly folks... If you simply want your mind boggled at shear food quantity, go with one of the calzones every time. The "Big Jim" named for the now-deceased founder (I have seen this man, he was indeed not small), has a small deli-case worth of cured meats inside, and is served hanging over the edges of a large pizza tray. I myself am not a small man, and this dish constitutes three solid meals for me. Believe it or not, this place used to be even cheaper, the above calzone now runs the better part of 10 dollars... What can I say, I'm nearly as cheap as Dad, though it's still worth every penny. Also, reservations are accepted for very large parties (6 or more, I think). I had to suffer through the DD role for a bachelor's party on my most recent visit, Big Jim's without beer was kinda like delicious purgatory. Though the service was, as ever, fantastic, without being the least overbearing: After it became clear I was drinking pop, a tiny, halfsize pitcher appeared next to my glass. Needless to say, many humorous "giant calzone siting" photos were snapped next to my mini pitcher with available cellphones... Can't recommend it enough, one visit will make you a believer. This is the kind of place that brought me back to Pittsburgh after early-20s wanderings. Though the men's toilet is, like all good bars, not for the faint of heart!
(5)Leonard W.
My sister told me about this place while we were driving around exploring Pittsburgh. Obviously it was because of DD&D.So finding the place was kind of hard since I didnt know the roads that well. Once getting here I have to agree that it looks like its in a weird place or at least an old town of the area. Park in the back and go in. Nice interior, very homely feel, and they were showing the world cup which is always nice. So because I've never been here we decide to order a bundle. We order the lasagna, the buffalo chicken wings (full), a reuben sandwich, and onion rings. The lady was nice and friendly brought out some waters for my sis, cousin, and me. The wait was a while for the food but im sure everythings fresh and not just sitting there waiting. The wings looked nice, the reuben was big portioned, and my lasagna was out of this world in size. Just looking at it almost gave me acid reflux lol. The food was good nonetheless. The truth is I would probably give this place 4 stars but I wasnt too impressed with the taste. The portions were huge, the prices were great, but I just felt something was missing from the taste. Dont get me wrong, this place would be a massive frequent if i lived in the area because of the menu and prices, but from my visit, i would give it 3.5 stars. Once i go back and try some other dishes I would gladly revise my rating.
(3)Alex W.
I love Big Jim's! It's very cheap, the portions are massive, and the food (wedding soup, open faced turkey sandwich, and fish sandwich) is fantastic. The service is not fast or overly warm, but so what. Order another beer and enjoy your company and the great food.
(5)Pat M.
Best veal Parm going
(5)Loni W.
During a recent trip to Pittsburgh, my boyfriend and I decided to try Big Jim's. The atmosphere was casual and busy since we were there on a Friday night but very friendly. I strongly recommend their Italian Wedding soup and, if you are up for a challenge, the veal pram sandwich.
(5)Allen B.
I saw this on triple D so I had to try it. The food is okay and the place is kinda a dive. Not the kind of place you'd want to bring a date. I would probably come back but there are plenty of other places in Pittsburgh that I prefer.
(3)Ty S.
Very cool little corner of town. It might look a bit sketchy, but was very safe. Extremely good Reuben and a frosty pint of beer. Will come here again
(4)A H.
o,m,g best sandwich i had in my life. i wish they made sandwich like this in los angeles
(5)Je'Amour M.
sheer joy being an Italian woman and find a place with decent wedding soup & lovely entrees and sandwiches...
(5)melissa k.
Food was just awesome; and Scott our host/waiter was the best ever, never an empty drink and great personality. We had the meatballs, pizza and chicken Parm hoagies. We just LOVED being there!
(5)F P.
Ah yes...Big Jim's. I have been eating here since the early 80s when my Mom worked there. My first memory of video games comes from Big Jim's. I was sitting on someone's lap playing a table top version of Q-Bert. Those were the days. This place is just a hole in the wall. But its a great one. No matter what you get off the menu, its tasty. This time, we got the open-faced roast beef sandwich, the open-faced turkey sandwich, a small cheese pizza and a chicken parm sandwich. The two open-faced sandwiches are awesome. Big piles of meat and gravy on top of hearty chunks of Italian bread and thin-cut homemade fries. The turkey was real sliced turkey from a turkey breast. The roast beef is fresh sliced, too. The pizza is always good. The really pile on the cheese. Unfortunately today, they piled the sauce on, too. There was literally enough sauce to scoop off the pizza and eat with a fork. Which I did, because their sauce is almost as good as my own. Still though...all that sauce is not needed. The chicken parm was okay. It was a large chicken cutlet but it wasn't very crispy. The bread was good and just like the pizza, the cheese was piled high on this hoagie. Other than the overly saucy pizza the only real complaint was the waitress wasn't very friendly. This is atypical of the place and this is the first time I can recall having a crabapple for a server here. I don't like to base my reviews on previous visits, and I won't. But I well touch base on some of the other menu items that are top notch. Their pasta is always good. They really do have a good sauce. I'm not the kind of person who likes ordering pasta in restaurants because its never as good as my own (or my father's). But Big Jim's is the sort of place I can break my rules over. They have these fried eggplant appetizers. They're awesome. Skip the parmesan version and just get them with marinara on the side. The salads are always huge. Just make sure you tell them you don't need any french fries on them...Big Jim's, just like many other restaurants in this city, likes to muck up a perfectly good salad by dumping fries all over them. They have a homemade Italian dressing that is truly delicious. We've commented time and time again how we wish we could buy it by the bottle and take it home with us. All the meat on their sandwiches is the real deal. Actual sliced roast beef and turkey. I don't know where they get their cold cuts from, but they're not cheap....they're quite good. The bread's great, as well. Crispy and flaky on the outside, soft and hearty on the inside. Like I said...pretty much everything on the menu is good. We've tried a little bit of everything on the menu and you can't go wrong.
(5)Mike P.
Pretty mediocre....saw the place on triple D and wanted to try it. Wedding soup was good, chicken parm was huge but not particularly outstanding. Tomato sauce had a strange taste to it. Place is a real dump but has character
(3)Gwen K.
Just had to update this to say that Big Jim's is now smoke free!
(4)McCall N.
A friend of mine saw this on Diners, Drive-In's & Dives, so we knew we had to try it. It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it's a family favorite. Don't come here if you're in a hurry, but the food is worth the wait. Huge portions & fairly cheap.
(4)Randy T.
Was visiting Pitt a while back and everyone said Big Jims was the place to eat. They couldnt have been more right. Big Jims is a place you wouldnt even notice as a restaurant on the outside and I cant even recall any businesses surrounding it. The food is where this place really shines. I settled on the Veal Parmesan and couldnt believe my eyes when it came to the table, the veal was bigger than my platter! I couldnt even finish my meal and ended up taking half of it home, great value for the money. They also make homemade wedding soup thats outta this world! We woulda dined at Big Jim's our entire time in Pitt but Diners Drive Inn's and Dives happened to be filming while we were there and we couldnt get near the place again, bummer!
(5)Jessica B.
Like many others reviewing Big Jim's, I was inspired to try it after seeing the Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives episode in which it was featured. Based on what I saw on the show, and what I had read on Yelp, I knew to expect huge portions and the "homey" (to put it nicely) decor. Indeed, it was decorated like a suburban grandparents basement, but it actually was kind of charming. I went with my husband and a friend one Friday night a few weeks ago. We got there around 7pm and it was crowded but we did not have to wait for a table. Unlike many reviewers here, our service was definitely not slow; a waitress was almost immediately at the table to take drink orders (before we all got a chance to look through the menu) and made herself available throughout the meal, frequently checking in with us. I really wanted to try the meatballs, which had been showcased on DDD. I ordered two as an appetizer (husband and friend ordered jalapeno poppers, of which I am not a fan and did not try. They claimed they were tasty). The meatballs were quite delicious and so was the accompanying sauce. I could tell both were homemade, and enjoyed the sauce so much that even when I had finished the meat, I scraped up the rest of the sauce with my fork to finish it all. For dinner I ordered a hot sausage calzone. The waitress told me that it would take about 30 minutes to cook, and since we ordered apps I didn't care. Again, I knew from watching DDD that the portion would be ridiculous, and it was: it was as if someone took a large pizza and folded it in half. It really was that big. But, I can say this as a hard-core foodie and a self-labeled gourmand, it was the best damn calzone I have ever eaten. Hands down; no contest. The dough was thin and crisp and perfectly, uniformly browned. In general, my critique about calzones is that there is often way too much cheese (I am not a fan of tons and tons of cheese), but this calzone had the proporations down perfectly: fresh delicious fillings of sausage, peppers and onions, and a smattering of cheese to tie it all together. The sausage was indeed spicy, sliced thinly and bursting with flavor. The onion and peppers appeared to have been roasted first, then thinly sliced, which also added an unexpected dimension of flavor. A winner. And we had enough calzone left over to eat throughout the rest of the weekend. My husband ordered a reuben sandwich which he said was really good, and our friend ordered the immense veal parm sandwich which she described as delicious. I will definitely go back to Big Jim's. I want to try other things on the menu but I am already craving that calzone again. Seriously: this place is worth the trip and I can now see why people rave about it. I am only giving it four stars because of the decor. Yes: I get it, you're homey and dive-y and unpretentious, yadda yadda, but if someone spent 2 hours sprucing the interior of that place up, it would make a huge difference.
(4)Janel D.
We saw this place on the tv show Diners Drive-ins and Dives and had to try it. The place is certainly a dive in terms of the decor, but when you taste the food it doesn't matter one bit. It's actually kind of refreshing that this place stands solely on it's food. We had the wedding soup which was phenomenal. It was filled with delicious meatballs, pieces of chicken and had a great flavor! We also had a pizza and split an order of meatballs. The meatballs and the marinara that they came in were quite tasty, and left us wanting more. While the pizza was very good, we wished we had ordered some pasta after admiring our neighbor's choices. We will definitely return for another tasting session sometime soon. The wait staff was efficient but not overly friendly. They were spread a bit thin and seemed to have a way of doing things that didn't always put the customer's needs first. But, again, the food stands on it's own, and if that's what you are going there for, then you will certainly not be disappointed!
(4)scott s.
Awesome place. Small, friendly, super cheap and super big portions. The appetizer eggplant is large enough to serve as a meal, with some left over for tomorrow's lunch.
(5)Jenn P.
Um... Am I the only one who is going to say that they had problems with this place???? I didn't get this place at all!!!! Bill and i saw this joint on Triple D with Guy Fieri , and we had to experience it for ourselves. Thats where the problem began. First off, we Had to wait in line at a dive bar in a shady part of town for 30 minutes!!!! Then, when we finally were seated, we noticed that the dish washer from the back was taking our drink order, (which took forever to get back to us!!! Doesnt anyone know what pete's wicked ale is???? MORONS!!!!) Dont even get me started on the food, which took a over an hour to make and get to our table. The wedding soup was a joke!!! too salty, Ive had better... I dont know... If you like to wait around for your food, then this is the place for you, ( they do have take out, i dont know how long that would take to make though....) So basically, We spent over 2 hours in this place in which this is time we will never get back. Btw, thanks for wasting our time.... we know better now
(2)Zach C.
Saw Big Jims on Diners Drive ins and Dives and after reading the yelp reviews had to try it. I walked in was surprised by how crowded it was on a sunday especially in its location ( not off a busy highway and if you weren't looking for it most likely wouldn't just stumble upon it) I ordered a veal parm sandwich which i heard was the speciality. Bread was a nice italian loaf and was perfect for this sandwich. Sauce was really good, not that much cheese on the sandwich, which i like. The veal was breaded really well not to thick and chunky but rather nice and light. They give you tons of veal on the sandwich. Overall, I really liked the sandwich and it was huge and good BUT there was deff. something missing. There wasn't a hug WOW to it... but it was really good. just didn't blow me away.
(4)Thomas M.
Im a fan, my brother and I had sandwiches, big Jim's reuben. This monster sandwich is every bit what you want. Authentic, divey, tasty, grilled to perfection. Take it home and save it for later. Get on board at Jims
(4)Scott B.
Since I have family that lives down the street, I have been coming to Big Jim's for over 20 years. I used to really enjoy coming here but stopped visiting several years ago. Although the food was always good, the place was getting dirtier every time I was there. Yesterday my wife and I decided to stop for lunch. I figured that the place was probably cleaned up since the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives episode. After being seated, I wanted to leave. To be honest, I don't know why I stayed. Nothing had changed. In fact I think it got worse. The floor was filthy. There was food under tables that looked like it was there for days. Remember, I was here for lunch and they just opened. The tables and chairs in the dining room looked as though they were purchased at a yard sale. Very old and falling apart. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the service and food was good. I had an Italian hoagie and my wife had a salad. Both tasted good but I really couldn't enjoy it. I kept thinking that if the dining room was this dirty, what is the kitchen like?
(2)Harry M.
We went around lunchtime, but it wasn't very busy. Service was relatively quick and attentive. The waitress didn't mind that I was using my iPhone at the table, either. She also complemented me on the jersey I was wearing - of course, we were both wearing Crosby jerseys! I had a full meatball hoagie. It was delicious. The cheese was oozing onto the plate, the meatballs were tasty and the meat sauce on it was great. Someone mentioned an odd taste to it - I think it's the pork that's in the meat sauce. My girlfriend got a full chicken parm as well. I gave that a taste and the chicken was almost better than the meatballs! It was excellent. I highly recommend going here.
(5)Jim A.
Big Jim's is something from the past, if you are looking for those Pittsburgh restaurants from yesteryear then you are in luck with Big Jim's. The gf and I went here for Dinner one night on a Monday at 6pm and this place was packed. She got the reuben, which had homemade russian dressing made with bread & butter pickles, (not my cup of tea), but still very tasty. I indulged in the chicken parm sandwich, which I found out later that the veal parm is the way to go, but nonetheless the chicken parm sammy was very good. We also had onion rings, which were run of the mill. But all in all for two gigantic sandwiches, onion rings and 3 beers for under $30 is a great deal.
(4)Manfred F.
My favorite greasy spoon in the burgh. Portions are large, the meatball sandwich is the bomb. Burgers are great and the pizza is homemade tasty. They carry a fine selection of bottled beer, domestic and imported. If you're hungry this is the place to go. Down to earth dining!
(5)Mary G.
Huge portions, great prices, and friendly faces. I recommend the veal parm sandwich
(4)Will H.
With so many new semi-pretentious restaurants opening in Pittsburgh, it's nice that we finally discovered Big Jim's, making it "new" to us! It took me nearly six years of living in PIttsburgh, but I may have finally found that go-to, no-frills Italian restaurant that suits our laid back attitudes and selective palates. I've ran, biked, and driven past Big Jims over and over throughout the years, but never even realized it was there. It's so unassuming and dive-y, that it's easy to miss, but stopping in is definitely worth your time. We've ordered takeout a few times and eaten in a few times already, and it's never really disappointed. The staff has always been really attentive and nice when dining in, and takeout has always satisfied...even when they gave me the wrong hoagie once, it was delicious enough to forgive them. Their chicken parm hoagies and dinner are both excellent, and the dinner is big enough to eat family-style. Good luck finding food in those portions, with that flavor, for under $11 somewhere else. The housemade Italian dressing is phenomenal, and should seriously be bottled and sold. We've only tried the white pizza so far, but it was delicious. I've had the Italian hoagie and cheese steak hoagie, as well. Both were good...although I used their Italian dressing on the Italian hoagie, which almost isn't fair, since that stuff could make anything amazing. If you're looking for a place to get a good hoagie, pizza, or simple Italian meal that's so reasonably-priced you feel like you're ripping Big Jim off, this is the place.
(4)Melissa W.
Well. Most of what I have to say has been said. It's in an odd area. While some people thought it was "shady", I really thought nothing of it. It's tucked under a bridge (overpass?) in a fairly residential area. Doesn't look like much from the outside. I went for lunch during a weekday. I was the only one in the place. The decor was pretty plain. Big long bar, some seating in there, and then another room of seating as well. My waitress was very very nice. I didn't get her name. The food is so cheap! I ordered an order of the provolone sticks and a half of the chicken parm sandwich (see photo). Now, I don't know whether it was because I was extremely hungry, but that chicken parm was probably up there with the top 3 chicken parm sandwiches that I've had in my life. They toasted the hoagie, which I think made a real difference. God, I'm getting hungry thinking about it.
(4)Faith A.
I had first heard about Big Jim's from my brother because he had seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (this is pathetic as I live so incredibly close to it). We then saw it on triple D and were intrigued so after finally make plans to go, we just did so tonight. Despite the dive-y appearance, I have to say there is nothing about Big Jim's that I did not love. We were promptly greeted by a server, sat in the bar area (where less minors seem to dine so that makes it more enjoyable for adults without children), and were greeted with waters and asked if we had any questions. So far so good. On the menu for us tonight was Provolone sticks, wedding soup, Chicken Parm dinner, and Chicken Parm hoagie. Holy cow was it a ton of food!!!! The wedding soup was good (no noodles though), the italian dressing on the house salad that came with the Chix parm dinner was AMAZING. Seriously some of the best dressing I have ever had. My husband enjoyed the sticks and the hoagie as well. A++++++! For $31 and some change (that included an alcoholic beverage as well), you cannot go wrong here. The chix parm dinner will easily be another meal for one of us as well. Not the classiest looking of places but if you are the type of person who appreciates good food in a laid back environment, you will love Big Jim's :)
(4)Joe D.
Really Guy? You endorsed this place on Triple D? You put your reputation on the line and did a segment on Big Jim's? I wasn't impressed with the food at all. The service was worse. I ordered a half veggie hoagy and a bowl of vegetable soup. My friend Ross ordered a small pizza and a bowl of wedding soup. I was sipping on a pretty good Rooney pale ale which was the best part of the meal. A little while later our soup came in cups. We told the bartender we ordered bowls. Oops. I was fighting a cold and a nice hot bowl of vegetable soup would hit the spot. Still waiting for the soup, out came the pizza, looked good, tons of cheese and pepperoni, and my veggie hoagy. My order was wrong again, I ordered a half and they gave me a whole Hoagy. No biggie, I'll take the other half home for a midnight snack. Still no sign of the soup! It was a pretty unremarkable hoagy. Lots of flavorless lettuce, green peppers, onion, and huge unchewable chunks of carrots, and worse, it was cold. I Was kind of hoping for some eggplant, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini, you know a real veggie hoagy with some flavor and texture. Oh we'll, live and learn. Still no soup! Finally the bartender was finished watching TV and saw we were both out of beer, and I asked about the soup, he apologized and said he forgot. I said to Ross, I guess he must make a good hourly wage because he's not working for a good tip. Finally our soup was delivered and I pushed away that lousy hoagy and dived into soup. I blew on the spoonful of soup and Ross said "you don't have to do that, it's cold." Damn! With a half eaten hoagy and a full bowl of soup sitting there, I asked for the check and paid and left. Never again Big Jim, never again! Guy, you lost points on this call.
(1)Jennifer R.
I went to Big Jims while on vacation. The calzone was the size of a small child and fed all 6 people at our table. Everything we had was friggin delicious... My friends and I still talk about this place often. Go, you won't regret it!
(4)William M.
If you're looking for good, old-fashioned Italian 'food' served in heaping mounds for a reasonable price - Big Jim's should be THE place to go. I first learned of Big Jim's many, many years ago, when a friend introduced me to this hidden gem. Some changes have been made since that era, but nothing for the worse. They used to be a very closed-in smoking establishment, but the new laws have stopped that, and the result is that you can eat without watching the nicotine drip from the walls. I'm a smoker, but the atmosphere used to be even too thick for me to fully enjoy. But even then, the food made it worth the trip. Big Jim's is a divey bar/restaurant tucked into a hidden corner of Greenfield that they call 'the run'. It is by far, nothing fancy. Wood paneled walls, framed tacky prints bearing scenes of Italy occasionally, or scenes of the burgh. Truly, nothing to look at. TVs dot the rooms, usually playing local news, or of course, da game - whichever one happens to be playing. The service can be hit or miss - we're not talking high end customer service here. You may get an attitude from someone who looks like a mobile home park escapee, or you might get just efficient cordial service from someone who looks like a college student that Starbuck's wouldn't hire. But really, that's not even important in this setting. The gold mine that Big Jim's offers is very good food in jumbo portions, and at a truly reasonable price. I've taken several out of towners to Big Jim's and rarely have they not gone home with leftovers in a take out box. The pasta dishes are tasty and large, and most meals come with a side salad, or other side of your choice. Order something like lasagna or chicken or eggplant parmigiana, and you're either a Hoover in disguise, or you're taking some home. The last time I visited, I saw a VERY large man in a Pitt sports outfit at the next table order a calzone. It took a while to arrive, but when it did, the man's eyes nearly bugged out. And he was a BIG football player type. The calzone truly looked like a large pizza folded in half. This ginormous sports machine - took half home. The appetizers are good. I recommend the fried zucchini planks, but everything I've had has been plentiful and tasty. I've eaten the lasagna (took half home) chicken parmigiana (took half home), eggplant parmigiana (took half home), the linguini with white clam sauce (ok, ate all of that), hot sandwiches, and more, and I've never been unfulfilled or disappointed. They have gnocchi in a red sauce (I swear they used to have it in a creamy cheese sauce, but that seems to have disappeared from the menu - shame too, it was yum), and even have things for the non-Italian people, like cheesesteak sandwiches, open faced roast beef and fries smothered with gravy. Once again I say - I am NOT a 'foodie'. I like FOOD. And Big Jim's is a place that can fill you up and not rip you off. Two enormous entrees usually coming with a side, a soda, an appetizer or two, and a meal for the next day's lunch - the bill usually comes to just under $30. It's a hidden gem - so get out your mapquest or GPS - and find it!
(4)Jennifer V.
Actually, more like a 2.5. We left a bit disappointed. We make it a point to hit some Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives when we're on vacation with the kids, and agree with the previous reviewer the Guy missed the mark on this one. While the portions are "generous" to say the least, the food was only "good." My husband and I split the Chicken Parm Hoagie...good, not great. The standout of this sandwich was the hoagie roll...it was amazing. To accompany the sandwich I ordered a dinner salad, my husband the wedding soup. Again, good not great. My son ordered the roast beef and au jus sandwich. Like our sandwich it was enormous and served on an awesome roll, but the awesome stopped there. It was really bland, and the au jus, even more so. However our little one ordered buttered noodles and was pleased as punch. For what's worth, the old school, off the beaten path character of the building was kind of charming. But you can't eat that. If your goal is a lot of food at a cheap price, this is your stop. If you're looking for an "off the hook" dining experience, drive on.
(2)Matt K.
I went to this place a few times as a kid and didn't think much of it. Just a few months back my wife and I were watching "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives" on Food Network and Big Jim's was featured. The wife and I decided we would pay a visit on our next trip to Pittsburgh. We stopped in for lunch and got our eat on. It's probably not good for you to eat here too often, but it was fun for lunch. It definitely falls in the "Dives" category of Guy Fieri's show. My mom and wife split a chicken parm sandwich (photo attached). My bro-in-law had a meatball hoagie (also photo attached). I had the Italian hoagie and we also split some fries with sides of cheese and gravy. Everything was sinfully tasty. We rolled out the door to the car and went home and napped.
(4)Kim K.
Mixed emotions here... Saw the episode on DDD's. Got there about 6:00 on a Saturday night. Went inside to give our name and it was chaotic. I asked a server if we could put our name in & she said we had to give it to some guy- wht? I am not a local and didn't know what she was talking about. Finally put our name in. We had about 30 minute wait and there really wasn't anywhere to wait- it was cold outside. People were coming & going and we were in everyone's way. My daughter & I ordered a reuben to share. My other daughter opted for the veggie calzone. Service was crazy slow & the waitress warned us that the calzone would take 30 minutes. We agreed... 65 minutes later she told us it was almost ready. I was annoyed and she got defensive. She said, "I told you it would take 30 minutes". I replied with, "yes, but not over an hour!". She didn't care. The calzone was enough for 4 people. The reuben would have been ok for one person so there portions didn't seem consistent. If in the area, I would give it another try.
(3)Brom L.
I went here after seeing that it had been on one of the TV shows. Service was nice and friendly but... I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, with great expectations. I didn't find much flavor in the sauce OR the meatballs and, when it came time to get the bill, "something" crawled up on my table - maybe it wanted to pay for my dinner but I still proceeded to 'make it go away' with a napkin. I spared the nice waitress any details, just paid and left with no plans of going back... (There is a cool little walking path from the restaurant all the way to Carnegie Mellon.)
(2)Will B.
Big Jim's on the Run. What to say about this place. Well it was on Dinners Drive-ins and Dives and I thought it was just OK. Sure you can order a huge double decker veal parmesan but it was just OK. The sandwich was served on a half loaf and it was toasted so it was hard as a rock and had to be smashed down causing a plate full of crumbs and crusty bits. The restaurant is nothing more than a dirty outdated dive bar with sloppy looking employees that don't wear any type of uniform or matching clothing. It's hard to tell who works there and who is just someone trying to get a meal. I don't mean to be hating but I went there once and haven't really wanted or felt the need to go back. So 3 stars for delivering something good but over all the large portions and TV fame wasn't enough to get me back in the door a second time.
(3)Jackie T.
Price: can't beat it - we had a huge feast for 3 for less than $50. Service: friendly but slow. Italian wedding soup: good but I hardly had any meatballs in my cup. Pizza: only thing good about it was the sauce. Fries with gravy: one of my favorite apps that we tried. Jumbo wings: the hot ones are made with red hot and butter which is always good. Lots of meat on them too. Chicken parmesan sandwich: one of the best I've had anywhere. Very moist chicken. Fish sandwich: okay but not my favorite. Overall, I'd give this place 3 stars but would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a cheap night out with decent food (or great food if you order the chicken parm sandwich).
(3)Margaret Z.
Would have liked to give this place a 3 1/2, but it isn't a 4. The portions are huge. I recommend splitting dishes. The Veal Parm was 2 BIG veal cutlets. The service was good and the food is mediocre. It's dark inside and I wouldn't go for ambience. The restaurant itself is in a rougher area of town.
(3)RONALD W.
A first class neighborhood restaurant and bar. Extensive menu of hoagies, sandwiches, burgers, and some Italian pasta dishes. For most folks, I would recommend bringing a friend or love one and sharing an entree and a side. The sandwiches are very big. I had the veal parmigiana sandwich plus fried mushrooms and ended up with half in a carryout container. Other than being huge, my sandwich came in first class crusty, toasty italian bread. Very, very tasty! Parking behind the restaurant.
(4)Kara L.
This place is amazing! Every single time I come here I am never disappointed. Not only do you get what you pay for, plus more, it is really good food! The menu may seem like any other place with the items listed, but they bring something special to the table every time. The area is a little weird & parking isn't ideal, but with the service / food, I don't mind a bit!
(5)Doreen L.
Being from New York, I have been to my fair share of dives, dumps and greasy spoons. Being that I was in the Pittsburgh area, I figured I'd give this hole-in-the-wall a try, especially since Guy Fieri recommended it (although I am starting to doubt his taste because, frankly, all his suggestions have blown thus far). We get here and it's confusing from the start. The guy from the back (does he cook the food? wash the dishes?) seats us in the dark bar area. He asks us what we want to drink and tells someone to get us Diet Pepsi (we ordered regular Pepsi). We get the menus and I was tempted to get out a flashlight just to read it. In the meantime, a waitress comes over and asks us what we want to drink. We tell her Pepsi. She walks off. Someone else comes over and puts down two Pepsi glasses. Then she walks over with two more. Looks like there is no communication here - or light fixtures. Looking at the expansive menu, we decide to check Yelp on our phones for other reviewer's suggestions before ordering. We've done it before and it's worked. Unfortunately, this gets us a rude comment from a guy who is now our server (yep, we have now had three people "serve" us). He snaps at us, asking if we're texting or if we're ready. Well, excuse me, Mr. Sassy Pants. I was actually looking for what to order in this dump, if you don't mind. Not wanting to ruin what is supposed to be a fun experience, we politely order our meals. I get the chicken sandwich, he gets the roast beef au jus. A whole HALF HOUR later, our magical sandwich creations come out from the kitchen. One look at these things, and you'd ask yourself, What the hell took so damn long? My sandwich was the most uninspired thing I've seen in a long time. It was a big slab of chicken breast thrown in between a hamburger bun, with an un-melted slice of American cheese, uncooked green peppers and a spoonful of grilled onions. Half of it tasted like chicken -- the other half tasted burnt and like an old oven. His sandwich was no better - but it came with burnt, hard and cold french fries that a dog would sneer its nose at. Needless to say, the food was terrible. I don't care about the "large portions" and "everything is made on the premises" bullsh** - this food is barely edible. Like I said, I get that this place has "character" and it's dirty on purpose which adds to its charm but I'm sorry, you aren't winning me over on that load of horse apples. Take your character and shove it where the sun don't shine - which just so happens to be the dark dining room at Big Jim's.
(1)Jarrett H.
One of my favorite things I've ever heard Guy Fieri say is "If you're from Pittsburgh, you've heard of 'The Run'". Guy, I had not heard of the run, and I have yet to meet anyone that, prior to going to Big Jim's, has heard of The Run either(Except for my one friend's grandma). However, I'll not forget The Run - a small stretch in Greenfield near the South Side Works involving a baseball field that has housed this place since 1977 - after having come to Big Jim's. Big Jim's is full of cheap,largely-portioned food that I think is characteristic of this area. Little flair, decent flavor, no funny business. Enter and take your pick of the dining room or the bar area. There may be a wait(I've been here once or twice with a line out the door, mostly during games. Go another time and you're good to sit just about anywhere). The crowd is a good mix - neighbors, locals, Pitt students. The menu is a selection of mostly fried appetizers, sandwiches, hoagies, some Italian specialties, and pizza. My favorite item to get here is definitely the veggie hoagie. So simple: Good bread, provalone cheese, brocolli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, carrots, thrown in the oven until the veggies are roasted(Add mayo for me, of course... And sometimes a little ketchup :). This thing tastes amazing, and while I could probably down a full one, I prefer to share it with a side of some kind of appetizer. The spaghetti here is also pretty good, and I've had the eggplant parmesian and it was decent. The entrees will net you garlic bread and spaghetti and a salad, large portions of everything, so don't attempt them alone. Now all that being said, I do have a few gripes about this place - Number one being that the service is slow. My order usually takes about 20-30 minutes to come back to me, which for a hoagie is kind of crazy in my opinion. The staff is friendly and it's hard to get upset, just don't come here for a 'quick' bite. My other gripe is that while some of the menu is definitely home cookin', other parts of the menu are definitely not, so buyer beware. My girlfriend ordered the applesauce once($1.50) and about 15 minutes later(but well before the rest of our food came) the waitress handed her a generic plastic cup of applesauce, not even opened. I mean come on, at least put the stuff in a dish. But what are you gonna do. The veggie hoagie is too good to pass up. Just accept the stuff for what it is, and don't try and go on the edge of this place's comfort zone. Stick to what they do best and you won't be disappointed.
(4)James G.
It's not a Diner, It's not a Drive-In..... Big Jim's would need sprucing up to be a Dive! If you saw this place on TV (and let's face it, that's the only way anybody from outside this secret hideaway neighborhood would find this place) keep your TV romantic notions about it and stay home. We did have the things they featured on the DDD show and they were (looking for a kind word here) ....awful. The Italian Wedding Soup (normally a favorite of mine) had mystery meat and an over-abundance of salt. The Veal Parmigana Sandwich looked so obscenely large that we opted for the Veal Parmigana Plate with spaghetti. They certainly give you quantity over quality here. The Veal was pounded so thin, and then fried long enough to come out resembling two soles of a lost pair of shoes, and harder to chew. The pasta was overcooked (but plenty of it!) with a bland tomato sauce that seemed canned (I know, the TV shows them making it from scratch). They packed the place for the TV show, but you'll have no trouble getting a table. We sat by the bar, so there was an abundance of TV and butt-crack visible from our table. The pizza my partner had is about the only passable thing there was to eat here. This place is so far out of the way, and so hard to find that our GPS threw a tantrum. It was a huge disappointment, and I blame Fieri for that.
(1)Jason F.
I ate here this past Friday with my girlfriend for dinner. We decided to come here after randomly seeing it featured on a repeat of Guy Fieri's Diners Drive-Ins And Dives earlier in the week. The outside is not too much to look at but the inside is comfortable. Appropriately we were seated right underneath a Guy Fieri poster that proclaimed that the Veal Parmigiana "as big as yer head". As you would expect with food that large it seemed that everyone that was leaving the restaurant had a to-go box. We knew from the episode that they make their wedding soup from scratch daily and so started off with a cup of that. It had a good taste to it and had much more chicken flavor than most wedding soups that I have had in the past. The escarole as a green was also pretty nice. For my entree I decided on having the Veal Parmigiana sandwich as I wanted to see how big it actually was while my girlfriend decided upon the lasagna. Both portions were quite large with the sandwich being as large as advertised and I have a picture to prove it! It actually ended up being so big that I could not possibly fit my mouth around it. So I ended up taking off the top which essentially made it into two open faced sandwiches. The bread was crispy while the veal was fried nicely and the sauce and cheese complimented the rest nicely. My only complaint with it is that it was a bit dry and I think that some more sauce could have been helpful with that. Even so, the half of the sandwich that I ate tasted good. My girlfriends lasagna also seemed to be a super sized portion as it filled up her whole plate. It had a lot of ricotta cheese in it which helped to give it an overall flavor that I enjoyed. Like almost everyone else that I saw, we ended up leaving with some to-go boxes as I still had half of my sandwich left and my girlfriend half of her lasagna. The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here again in the future. It was a cool little place in which you definitely get a huge portion size for your money and the food is pretty good too!
(4)Beth B.
Amid the modern scene of strip mall restaurant chains and tired cliches masquerading as innovative establishments, Big Jim's is a refreshing surprise. For those of us who were children in the 70s or 80s, a visit to Big Jim's becomes a bit of a time warp back to childhood. It's divey, dark, and the decor probably hasn't changed since the place opened in 1977. In other words, it's pretty freaking awesome. If time warping to the late 70s isn't enough for you, how about giant portions of delicious comfort food? Bring your appetite and a friend. The meals here are immense. My husband, 3-year-old daughter, and I all shared a chicken parm sandwich and I still had a little piece of my portion to bring home. The chicken was tender and generously topped with flavorful marinara and melted cheese. Oh, and the bread. Can't forget the bread. The sandwich is served on a crusty half loaf of delicious Italian bread. Overall, I think this place is great. Bear in mind that the criticisms of other reviewers - digs about the decor or the uniforms - were positive in my book. I love that this place has likely never been renovated. If it were to be renovated, I probably would never go back. I like time travel. Oh, and as a side note, Big Jim's was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Take that as you will. If you pride yourself on visiting places that are featured on television shows, then put this on your list. If not, still put this restaurant your list because it's a funky place straight out of the 70s with excellent food. Happy time traveling!
(5)Lauren M.
Love their calzones and eggplant parm. The staff is always nice an friendly. Great place to grab and beer and watch the game. Not the fanciest place in the burgh but they don't pretend to be either. Just a good old fashioned Pgh bar with great food and nice people.
(4)Chris K.
Hard to find, but worth the effort. Try the DDD faves! The meatball sandwich is the best I've ever had!
(5)John L.
Tried it based on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives...1st time the program has let us down. Definitely a dump. Salad - old wilted lettuce. Ordered the chicken parm. Portion was immense, but the taste really poor. And the pasta was overcooked. Overall - not good.
(2)Kaleigh L.
Everything is amazing here. Super friendly staff, huge portions, relaxed atmosphere and good prices. I have never had a bad meal or bad experience here. I suggest the Chicken and Meatball Parm dinners. Amazing. Their sandwiches and hoagies are also fantastic. You cant get a bad meal here and if you leave hungry, it's definitely your fault!
(5)Darren W.
My dad lived in Greenfield for a time during his reckless, Dead End Kids youth and for years has spoken well of Big Jim's and of the godlike sandwiches they serve. Watching it become nationally famous through Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" was exciting, surreal, and made me all the more anxious to stop by. Shockingly, Kay had this place bookmarked for months! The other night, we decided to put off a visit no longer. Unassuming during the day, ominous after dark, Big Jim's occupies a building that sits below a poorly-lit underpass in a portion of the neighborhood known as "The Run." When you walk in, however, you are greeted graciously like a longtime friend and fed lovingly with hefty helpings of food that runs the gamut from bar and diner fare to good old Sunday evening homestyle cooking. It was the latter path that Kay chose with her Italian Wedding Soup and Hot Roast Beef Sandwich entree. The sandwich was a mountain of beef, bread, gravy, and fries that poor Kay only halfway finished. Dad recommended either the Italian Hoagie or the Bacon Burger. Thankfully, I listened to reason and didn't attempt to devour both, so I just went with the burger and was rewarded with an archetypal patty that was burly, copiously juicy, criminally fresh, and sublimely cooked to my specifications. In fact, EVERYTHING about this burger was open-faced perfection, from the veggies and sharp, solid, chilly, dill pickle to a bun so blessedly baked and brand-new, my imagination led me to believe that it had sprung from the ovens of Shangri-La. All hail Big Jim's Bacon Burger. Its place in the pantheon has been quickly secured. However, their fries, served in an insurmountable heap along with all else on their menu, need work. Brown, greasy, and limp, I've honestly had better fries at Eat N Park. I coulda, shoulda ordered onion rings. Oy. Remember kids, cut them fresh, change the oil regularly, fry them twice. The atmosphere was very casual, talkative, and family-oriented, and the service was friendly, speedy, and graceful; our waiter didn't miss a beat in spite of how busy the restaurant was. I'll certainly be back for that Italian Hoagie. Until then... P.S. Who didn't know that a framed picture of Guy Fieri would be on the wall?
(4)October R.
I love Big Jim's! The staff are always personable and the food is always fantastic! Everything is made to order; pizzas, Stromboli, and calzones take about 30 minutes (be patient, it's worth the wait). The portions are gigantic so you 'll be able to take something home for later. My boyfriend and I come here often; he is a creature of habit and always orders the 2 bill sandwich (a reuben plus a fried egg), I on the other hand like to switch things up. I've had the gardenburger (they'll ask what you want on it), the alfredo is amazing, eggplant parm is pretty standard but still delicious and a veggie stromboli (I could only eat half and I have a pretty healthy appetite). The french fries are thin and get cold fast so eat 'em first There is something for everyone to enjoy, even vegetarians!!
(5)Drew H.
Solid three stars and as others have said it's 100% a dive. Had chicken parm dinner and some meatballs on the side. The parm was right around average and the meatballs were definitely below par. However, for the price and the amount of food you get there is definitely good value for the money, but not somewhere that I have to rush back to next time I'm in Pittsburgh.
(3)Bob K.
I do not even know where to start. I worked here when Big Jim and Joyce were here. I do not live in Pittsburgh any more and only get back once every 3-4 years. First look it's still the same. But this place is DIRTY. From the front cash register to the pictures in the back dining area. Had the wedding soup that hasn't changed flavorful more veggies and meat than broth as Jim and Joyce always liked it. Fried zucchini was really greasy and the marinara was In a plastic cup. I know it's not fine dining but that was never done. Spaghetti and meat sauce. That was very watery but nicely cooked pasta. Garlic bread was hard as rocks but the watery sauce softened it up. They need to shut down for a week and paint and clean. Staff was just OK, not outstanding as has been in the past. No pride in the work. This hurts my heart it write this review. But the truth is the truth and it's time to face it.
(1)Miriam M.
Delicious!!! Home cooking in a down-to-earth dive. Exactly what I was expecting...excellent food, generous portions and more than reasonable prices. How often can you say you've been to a place where you're satisfied in your belly and happy with the price you paid? The Italian wedding soup was homemade and incredibly tasty. Don't expect a fancy presentation, but know you're getting homemade soup. The salads leave much to be desired, but the house made Italian dressing made me gobble up the lettuce adorned with two olives and one cherry tomato. On to the main dish--definitely order the veal parmigiana dinner AND the meatballs with spaghetti. The veal was hot and fresh! Meatballs were moist and jumbo sized. We truly enjoyed our meal. Actually, we were curious to try dessert--but the server informed us that they don't offer any sweets because no one can ever finish their plate!!! Love it and will definitely be back!!! Thanks Guy Fieri!!!
(4)Debby R.
Did not disappoint the veal parm sandwich IS as big as your head and is enough for 3 meals. Is also delicious, the fresh cut fries with beef gravy were perfect! Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful well worth the visit
(4)Kara L.
This place is amazing! Every single time I come here I am never disappointed. Not only do you get what you pay for, plus more, it is really good food! The menu may seem like any other place with the items listed, but they bring something special to the table every time. The area is a little weird & parking isn't ideal, but with the service / food, I don't mind a bit!
(5)Andrew K.
Big Jim's is an unassuming restaurant in an unassuming neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Most people don't know where "the run" is or where lower greenfield is. Big Jim's makes it worth investigating. This is place is the quintessential Pittsburgh dive, but the red Italian is amazeballs. We split a bowl of the wedding soup with was easily the best version that I have ever had. The escarole really makes it. I had the chicken parmesan dinner. The included salad was forgettable but the entree was great. Large crisp chicken breast smothered in a borderline inappropriate amount of cheese. I got the pasta and it was a little overcooked but serviceable. My meal was large enough to split with someone but what came next was just downright dirty. The calzone is at Big Jim's is ridiculous. It needs to come with a warning other than that it takes 45 minutes. I am not kidding these calzones could double as tomatoey warming blankets for italian newborns. My wife and I couldn't come close to finish this. As for the service, I would like to call it, Pittsburgh friendly. Meaning that in any other city you would assume your server was rude and incompetent but in Pittsburgh it is normal. Just now what you want before your server gets there. Bottom line, this place is a dive in the BEST way. Take the time to get to the run.
(4)Gail B.
The place doesn't look the best but food is excellent and the service is fantastic! My husband always gets pizza or open face roast beef n gravy. I get lasagna (which gives me 3meals) or a sandwich. My granddaughter's love to go there. They get there own personal pizza which is huge. Big Jim's was also on "Diners, Drive in and Dives". Guy showed the spaghetti being made, he gave the recipe. Also, I forgot to mention they have the best wedding soup in Pittsburgh.
(5)Spencer K.
You feel at home when you enter this restaurant. Stained green carpet and large portions reminds you of dinner at grandmas. My first time at Jim's was on a freezing Pittsburgh night. As I walked into this famed restaurant I was met with the specials scrawled on a chalkboard. After being quickly seated I ordered a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings and it was hot and delicious. After that, I ordered the fries with gravy and the veal parmigiana sandwich. The sandwich was huge (big enough that two grown men shared it as a meal) and the fries were crispy with a delicious brown gravy. Overall, I was very satisfied with my meal, the atmosphere and the people at Big Jim's!
(4)Gilles D.
Came here on my wife's whim, will be coming back for sure. We started with the eggplant parm appetizer and when it came out I thought it was mistakenly an entree. Nope it is just huge! And delicious. I got the large fish sandwich which is not a misnomer. Two giant fillets on a bun, I didn't even make it to the bun before I was full!!! The staff was great, nice little atmosphere and for the price I do not think you can beat the portions anywhere in the city.
(5)Kelsey R.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN PITTSBURGH. Their calzones are seriously twice as big as my head. They're huge! Great, quality Italian and comfort food at incredible prices. Usually packed with locals, a little divey... Love it!
(5)Keven K.
We had a group of 11, including 3 kids. I had seen this featured on food networks DDD with guy fieri, and combined with a strong yelp rating, figured this was worth a stop. We had an afternoon game at consol energy center so this place was 8 minutes from the arena. The portions are beyond enormous--is there a word for that? Our tale had Stromboli, which could have fed 3. Kids had the children's pasta which was way too much for any kid, but ok. I had he meatball sub half size, which was fine. Pizza was quite good too. I think everyone was very satisfied, and filled, by their meal. Prices are very reasonable. The service was good. I had read, and heard, that service was either a nightmare or good. We lucked out as our server was very attentive and happy to split our group into 3 checks. We got there at 430 on a Saturday, I had called the day before since we were a large group. Not many tables full at 430, but by 530 there was a wait at the door. Great stop!
(4)T-Bone R.
What you see is what you get. A dive serving mediocre food in large portions. The wedding soup was ok but a tad salty. The pasta dishes were decent but was a little bland. Good red sauce and respectable meatballs. The veal parm sandwich was epic huge but also a little bland. The staff were very friendly. Not a bad stop, but not a DDD winner.
(3)Zach C.
Saw Big Jims on Diners Drive ins and Dives and after reading the yelp reviews had to try it. I walked in was surprised by how crowded it was on a sunday especially in its location ( not off a busy highway and if you weren't looking for it most likely wouldn't just stumble upon it) I ordered a veal parm sandwich which i heard was the speciality. Bread was a nice italian loaf and was perfect for this sandwich. Sauce was really good, not that much cheese on the sandwich, which i like. The veal was breaded really well not to thick and chunky but rather nice and light. They give you tons of veal on the sandwich. Overall, I really liked the sandwich and it was huge and good BUT there was deff. something missing. There wasn't a hug WOW to it... but it was really good. just didn't blow me away.
(4)Thomas M.
Im a fan, my brother and I had sandwiches, big Jim's reuben. This monster sandwich is every bit what you want. Authentic, divey, tasty, grilled to perfection. Take it home and save it for later. Get on board at Jims
(4)Manfred F.
My favorite greasy spoon in the burgh. Portions are large, the meatball sandwich is the bomb. Burgers are great and the pizza is homemade tasty. They carry a fine selection of bottled beer, domestic and imported. If you're hungry this is the place to go. Down to earth dining!
(5)Mary G.
Huge portions, great prices, and friendly faces. I recommend the veal parm sandwich
(4)Scott B.
Since I have family that lives down the street, I have been coming to Big Jim's for over 20 years. I used to really enjoy coming here but stopped visiting several years ago. Although the food was always good, the place was getting dirtier every time I was there. Yesterday my wife and I decided to stop for lunch. I figured that the place was probably cleaned up since the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives episode. After being seated, I wanted to leave. To be honest, I don't know why I stayed. Nothing had changed. In fact I think it got worse. The floor was filthy. There was food under tables that looked like it was there for days. Remember, I was here for lunch and they just opened. The tables and chairs in the dining room looked as though they were purchased at a yard sale. Very old and falling apart. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the service and food was good. I had an Italian hoagie and my wife had a salad. Both tasted good but I really couldn't enjoy it. I kept thinking that if the dining room was this dirty, what is the kitchen like?
(2)Harry M.
We went around lunchtime, but it wasn't very busy. Service was relatively quick and attentive. The waitress didn't mind that I was using my iPhone at the table, either. She also complemented me on the jersey I was wearing - of course, we were both wearing Crosby jerseys! I had a full meatball hoagie. It was delicious. The cheese was oozing onto the plate, the meatballs were tasty and the meat sauce on it was great. Someone mentioned an odd taste to it - I think it's the pork that's in the meat sauce. My girlfriend got a full chicken parm as well. I gave that a taste and the chicken was almost better than the meatballs! It was excellent. I highly recommend going here.
(5)Jim A.
Big Jim's is something from the past, if you are looking for those Pittsburgh restaurants from yesteryear then you are in luck with Big Jim's. The gf and I went here for Dinner one night on a Monday at 6pm and this place was packed. She got the reuben, which had homemade russian dressing made with bread & butter pickles, (not my cup of tea), but still very tasty. I indulged in the chicken parm sandwich, which I found out later that the veal parm is the way to go, but nonetheless the chicken parm sammy was very good. We also had onion rings, which were run of the mill. But all in all for two gigantic sandwiches, onion rings and 3 beers for under $30 is a great deal.
(4)Will H.
With so many new semi-pretentious restaurants opening in Pittsburgh, it's nice that we finally discovered Big Jim's, making it "new" to us! It took me nearly six years of living in PIttsburgh, but I may have finally found that go-to, no-frills Italian restaurant that suits our laid back attitudes and selective palates. I've ran, biked, and driven past Big Jims over and over throughout the years, but never even realized it was there. It's so unassuming and dive-y, that it's easy to miss, but stopping in is definitely worth your time. We've ordered takeout a few times and eaten in a few times already, and it's never really disappointed. The staff has always been really attentive and nice when dining in, and takeout has always satisfied...even when they gave me the wrong hoagie once, it was delicious enough to forgive them. Their chicken parm hoagies and dinner are both excellent, and the dinner is big enough to eat family-style. Good luck finding food in those portions, with that flavor, for under $11 somewhere else. The housemade Italian dressing is phenomenal, and should seriously be bottled and sold. We've only tried the white pizza so far, but it was delicious. I've had the Italian hoagie and cheese steak hoagie, as well. Both were good...although I used their Italian dressing on the Italian hoagie, which almost isn't fair, since that stuff could make anything amazing. If you're looking for a place to get a good hoagie, pizza, or simple Italian meal that's so reasonably-priced you feel like you're ripping Big Jim off, this is the place.
(4)Melissa W.
Well. Most of what I have to say has been said. It's in an odd area. While some people thought it was "shady", I really thought nothing of it. It's tucked under a bridge (overpass?) in a fairly residential area. Doesn't look like much from the outside. I went for lunch during a weekday. I was the only one in the place. The decor was pretty plain. Big long bar, some seating in there, and then another room of seating as well. My waitress was very very nice. I didn't get her name. The food is so cheap! I ordered an order of the provolone sticks and a half of the chicken parm sandwich (see photo). Now, I don't know whether it was because I was extremely hungry, but that chicken parm was probably up there with the top 3 chicken parm sandwiches that I've had in my life. They toasted the hoagie, which I think made a real difference. God, I'm getting hungry thinking about it.
(4)Faith A.
I had first heard about Big Jim's from my brother because he had seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (this is pathetic as I live so incredibly close to it). We then saw it on triple D and were intrigued so after finally make plans to go, we just did so tonight. Despite the dive-y appearance, I have to say there is nothing about Big Jim's that I did not love. We were promptly greeted by a server, sat in the bar area (where less minors seem to dine so that makes it more enjoyable for adults without children), and were greeted with waters and asked if we had any questions. So far so good. On the menu for us tonight was Provolone sticks, wedding soup, Chicken Parm dinner, and Chicken Parm hoagie. Holy cow was it a ton of food!!!! The wedding soup was good (no noodles though), the italian dressing on the house salad that came with the Chix parm dinner was AMAZING. Seriously some of the best dressing I have ever had. My husband enjoyed the sticks and the hoagie as well. A++++++! For $31 and some change (that included an alcoholic beverage as well), you cannot go wrong here. The chix parm dinner will easily be another meal for one of us as well. Not the classiest looking of places but if you are the type of person who appreciates good food in a laid back environment, you will love Big Jim's :)
(4)Joe D.
Really Guy? You endorsed this place on Triple D? You put your reputation on the line and did a segment on Big Jim's? I wasn't impressed with the food at all. The service was worse. I ordered a half veggie hoagy and a bowl of vegetable soup. My friend Ross ordered a small pizza and a bowl of wedding soup. I was sipping on a pretty good Rooney pale ale which was the best part of the meal. A little while later our soup came in cups. We told the bartender we ordered bowls. Oops. I was fighting a cold and a nice hot bowl of vegetable soup would hit the spot. Still waiting for the soup, out came the pizza, looked good, tons of cheese and pepperoni, and my veggie hoagy. My order was wrong again, I ordered a half and they gave me a whole Hoagy. No biggie, I'll take the other half home for a midnight snack. Still no sign of the soup! It was a pretty unremarkable hoagy. Lots of flavorless lettuce, green peppers, onion, and huge unchewable chunks of carrots, and worse, it was cold. I Was kind of hoping for some eggplant, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini, you know a real veggie hoagy with some flavor and texture. Oh we'll, live and learn. Still no soup! Finally the bartender was finished watching TV and saw we were both out of beer, and I asked about the soup, he apologized and said he forgot. I said to Ross, I guess he must make a good hourly wage because he's not working for a good tip. Finally our soup was delivered and I pushed away that lousy hoagy and dived into soup. I blew on the spoonful of soup and Ross said "you don't have to do that, it's cold." Damn! With a half eaten hoagy and a full bowl of soup sitting there, I asked for the check and paid and left. Never again Big Jim, never again! Guy, you lost points on this call.
(1)Jennifer R.
I went to Big Jims while on vacation. The calzone was the size of a small child and fed all 6 people at our table. Everything we had was friggin delicious... My friends and I still talk about this place often. Go, you won't regret it!
(4)William M.
If you're looking for good, old-fashioned Italian 'food' served in heaping mounds for a reasonable price - Big Jim's should be THE place to go. I first learned of Big Jim's many, many years ago, when a friend introduced me to this hidden gem. Some changes have been made since that era, but nothing for the worse. They used to be a very closed-in smoking establishment, but the new laws have stopped that, and the result is that you can eat without watching the nicotine drip from the walls. I'm a smoker, but the atmosphere used to be even too thick for me to fully enjoy. But even then, the food made it worth the trip. Big Jim's is a divey bar/restaurant tucked into a hidden corner of Greenfield that they call 'the run'. It is by far, nothing fancy. Wood paneled walls, framed tacky prints bearing scenes of Italy occasionally, or scenes of the burgh. Truly, nothing to look at. TVs dot the rooms, usually playing local news, or of course, da game - whichever one happens to be playing. The service can be hit or miss - we're not talking high end customer service here. You may get an attitude from someone who looks like a mobile home park escapee, or you might get just efficient cordial service from someone who looks like a college student that Starbuck's wouldn't hire. But really, that's not even important in this setting. The gold mine that Big Jim's offers is very good food in jumbo portions, and at a truly reasonable price. I've taken several out of towners to Big Jim's and rarely have they not gone home with leftovers in a take out box. The pasta dishes are tasty and large, and most meals come with a side salad, or other side of your choice. Order something like lasagna or chicken or eggplant parmigiana, and you're either a Hoover in disguise, or you're taking some home. The last time I visited, I saw a VERY large man in a Pitt sports outfit at the next table order a calzone. It took a while to arrive, but when it did, the man's eyes nearly bugged out. And he was a BIG football player type. The calzone truly looked like a large pizza folded in half. This ginormous sports machine - took half home. The appetizers are good. I recommend the fried zucchini planks, but everything I've had has been plentiful and tasty. I've eaten the lasagna (took half home) chicken parmigiana (took half home), eggplant parmigiana (took half home), the linguini with white clam sauce (ok, ate all of that), hot sandwiches, and more, and I've never been unfulfilled or disappointed. They have gnocchi in a red sauce (I swear they used to have it in a creamy cheese sauce, but that seems to have disappeared from the menu - shame too, it was yum), and even have things for the non-Italian people, like cheesesteak sandwiches, open faced roast beef and fries smothered with gravy. Once again I say - I am NOT a 'foodie'. I like FOOD. And Big Jim's is a place that can fill you up and not rip you off. Two enormous entrees usually coming with a side, a soda, an appetizer or two, and a meal for the next day's lunch - the bill usually comes to just under $30. It's a hidden gem - so get out your mapquest or GPS - and find it!
(4)Jennifer V.
Actually, more like a 2.5. We left a bit disappointed. We make it a point to hit some Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives when we're on vacation with the kids, and agree with the previous reviewer the Guy missed the mark on this one. While the portions are "generous" to say the least, the food was only "good." My husband and I split the Chicken Parm Hoagie...good, not great. The standout of this sandwich was the hoagie roll...it was amazing. To accompany the sandwich I ordered a dinner salad, my husband the wedding soup. Again, good not great. My son ordered the roast beef and au jus sandwich. Like our sandwich it was enormous and served on an awesome roll, but the awesome stopped there. It was really bland, and the au jus, even more so. However our little one ordered buttered noodles and was pleased as punch. For what's worth, the old school, off the beaten path character of the building was kind of charming. But you can't eat that. If your goal is a lot of food at a cheap price, this is your stop. If you're looking for an "off the hook" dining experience, drive on.
(2)Matt K.
I went to this place a few times as a kid and didn't think much of it. Just a few months back my wife and I were watching "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives" on Food Network and Big Jim's was featured. The wife and I decided we would pay a visit on our next trip to Pittsburgh. We stopped in for lunch and got our eat on. It's probably not good for you to eat here too often, but it was fun for lunch. It definitely falls in the "Dives" category of Guy Fieri's show. My mom and wife split a chicken parm sandwich (photo attached). My bro-in-law had a meatball hoagie (also photo attached). I had the Italian hoagie and we also split some fries with sides of cheese and gravy. Everything was sinfully tasty. We rolled out the door to the car and went home and napped.
(4)Kim K.
Mixed emotions here... Saw the episode on DDD's. Got there about 6:00 on a Saturday night. Went inside to give our name and it was chaotic. I asked a server if we could put our name in & she said we had to give it to some guy- wht? I am not a local and didn't know what she was talking about. Finally put our name in. We had about 30 minute wait and there really wasn't anywhere to wait- it was cold outside. People were coming & going and we were in everyone's way. My daughter & I ordered a reuben to share. My other daughter opted for the veggie calzone. Service was crazy slow & the waitress warned us that the calzone would take 30 minutes. We agreed... 65 minutes later she told us it was almost ready. I was annoyed and she got defensive. She said, "I told you it would take 30 minutes". I replied with, "yes, but not over an hour!". She didn't care. The calzone was enough for 4 people. The reuben would have been ok for one person so there portions didn't seem consistent. If in the area, I would give it another try.
(3)Brom L.
I went here after seeing that it had been on one of the TV shows. Service was nice and friendly but... I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, with great expectations. I didn't find much flavor in the sauce OR the meatballs and, when it came time to get the bill, "something" crawled up on my table - maybe it wanted to pay for my dinner but I still proceeded to 'make it go away' with a napkin. I spared the nice waitress any details, just paid and left with no plans of going back... (There is a cool little walking path from the restaurant all the way to Carnegie Mellon.)
(2)Will B.
Big Jim's on the Run. What to say about this place. Well it was on Dinners Drive-ins and Dives and I thought it was just OK. Sure you can order a huge double decker veal parmesan but it was just OK. The sandwich was served on a half loaf and it was toasted so it was hard as a rock and had to be smashed down causing a plate full of crumbs and crusty bits. The restaurant is nothing more than a dirty outdated dive bar with sloppy looking employees that don't wear any type of uniform or matching clothing. It's hard to tell who works there and who is just someone trying to get a meal. I don't mean to be hating but I went there once and haven't really wanted or felt the need to go back. So 3 stars for delivering something good but over all the large portions and TV fame wasn't enough to get me back in the door a second time.
(3)Jackie T.
Price: can't beat it - we had a huge feast for 3 for less than $50. Service: friendly but slow. Italian wedding soup: good but I hardly had any meatballs in my cup. Pizza: only thing good about it was the sauce. Fries with gravy: one of my favorite apps that we tried. Jumbo wings: the hot ones are made with red hot and butter which is always good. Lots of meat on them too. Chicken parmesan sandwich: one of the best I've had anywhere. Very moist chicken. Fish sandwich: okay but not my favorite. Overall, I'd give this place 3 stars but would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a cheap night out with decent food (or great food if you order the chicken parm sandwich).
(3)Margaret Z.
Would have liked to give this place a 3 1/2, but it isn't a 4. The portions are huge. I recommend splitting dishes. The Veal Parm was 2 BIG veal cutlets. The service was good and the food is mediocre. It's dark inside and I wouldn't go for ambience. The restaurant itself is in a rougher area of town.
(3)Doreen L.
Being from New York, I have been to my fair share of dives, dumps and greasy spoons. Being that I was in the Pittsburgh area, I figured I'd give this hole-in-the-wall a try, especially since Guy Fieri recommended it (although I am starting to doubt his taste because, frankly, all his suggestions have blown thus far). We get here and it's confusing from the start. The guy from the back (does he cook the food? wash the dishes?) seats us in the dark bar area. He asks us what we want to drink and tells someone to get us Diet Pepsi (we ordered regular Pepsi). We get the menus and I was tempted to get out a flashlight just to read it. In the meantime, a waitress comes over and asks us what we want to drink. We tell her Pepsi. She walks off. Someone else comes over and puts down two Pepsi glasses. Then she walks over with two more. Looks like there is no communication here - or light fixtures. Looking at the expansive menu, we decide to check Yelp on our phones for other reviewer's suggestions before ordering. We've done it before and it's worked. Unfortunately, this gets us a rude comment from a guy who is now our server (yep, we have now had three people "serve" us). He snaps at us, asking if we're texting or if we're ready. Well, excuse me, Mr. Sassy Pants. I was actually looking for what to order in this dump, if you don't mind. Not wanting to ruin what is supposed to be a fun experience, we politely order our meals. I get the chicken sandwich, he gets the roast beef au jus. A whole HALF HOUR later, our magical sandwich creations come out from the kitchen. One look at these things, and you'd ask yourself, What the hell took so damn long? My sandwich was the most uninspired thing I've seen in a long time. It was a big slab of chicken breast thrown in between a hamburger bun, with an un-melted slice of American cheese, uncooked green peppers and a spoonful of grilled onions. Half of it tasted like chicken -- the other half tasted burnt and like an old oven. His sandwich was no better - but it came with burnt, hard and cold french fries that a dog would sneer its nose at. Needless to say, the food was terrible. I don't care about the "large portions" and "everything is made on the premises" bullsh** - this food is barely edible. Like I said, I get that this place has "character" and it's dirty on purpose which adds to its charm but I'm sorry, you aren't winning me over on that load of horse apples. Take your character and shove it where the sun don't shine - which just so happens to be the dark dining room at Big Jim's.
(1)RONALD W.
A first class neighborhood restaurant and bar. Extensive menu of hoagies, sandwiches, burgers, and some Italian pasta dishes. For most folks, I would recommend bringing a friend or love one and sharing an entree and a side. The sandwiches are very big. I had the veal parmigiana sandwich plus fried mushrooms and ended up with half in a carryout container. Other than being huge, my sandwich came in first class crusty, toasty italian bread. Very, very tasty! Parking behind the restaurant.
(4)Jarrett H.
One of my favorite things I've ever heard Guy Fieri say is "If you're from Pittsburgh, you've heard of 'The Run'". Guy, I had not heard of the run, and I have yet to meet anyone that, prior to going to Big Jim's, has heard of The Run either(Except for my one friend's grandma). However, I'll not forget The Run - a small stretch in Greenfield near the South Side Works involving a baseball field that has housed this place since 1977 - after having come to Big Jim's. Big Jim's is full of cheap,largely-portioned food that I think is characteristic of this area. Little flair, decent flavor, no funny business. Enter and take your pick of the dining room or the bar area. There may be a wait(I've been here once or twice with a line out the door, mostly during games. Go another time and you're good to sit just about anywhere). The crowd is a good mix - neighbors, locals, Pitt students. The menu is a selection of mostly fried appetizers, sandwiches, hoagies, some Italian specialties, and pizza. My favorite item to get here is definitely the veggie hoagie. So simple: Good bread, provalone cheese, brocolli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, carrots, thrown in the oven until the veggies are roasted(Add mayo for me, of course... And sometimes a little ketchup :). This thing tastes amazing, and while I could probably down a full one, I prefer to share it with a side of some kind of appetizer. The spaghetti here is also pretty good, and I've had the eggplant parmesian and it was decent. The entrees will net you garlic bread and spaghetti and a salad, large portions of everything, so don't attempt them alone. Now all that being said, I do have a few gripes about this place - Number one being that the service is slow. My order usually takes about 20-30 minutes to come back to me, which for a hoagie is kind of crazy in my opinion. The staff is friendly and it's hard to get upset, just don't come here for a 'quick' bite. My other gripe is that while some of the menu is definitely home cookin', other parts of the menu are definitely not, so buyer beware. My girlfriend ordered the applesauce once($1.50) and about 15 minutes later(but well before the rest of our food came) the waitress handed her a generic plastic cup of applesauce, not even opened. I mean come on, at least put the stuff in a dish. But what are you gonna do. The veggie hoagie is too good to pass up. Just accept the stuff for what it is, and don't try and go on the edge of this place's comfort zone. Stick to what they do best and you won't be disappointed.
(4)James G.
It's not a Diner, It's not a Drive-In..... Big Jim's would need sprucing up to be a Dive! If you saw this place on TV (and let's face it, that's the only way anybody from outside this secret hideaway neighborhood would find this place) keep your TV romantic notions about it and stay home. We did have the things they featured on the DDD show and they were (looking for a kind word here) ....awful. The Italian Wedding Soup (normally a favorite of mine) had mystery meat and an over-abundance of salt. The Veal Parmigana Sandwich looked so obscenely large that we opted for the Veal Parmigana Plate with spaghetti. They certainly give you quantity over quality here. The Veal was pounded so thin, and then fried long enough to come out resembling two soles of a lost pair of shoes, and harder to chew. The pasta was overcooked (but plenty of it!) with a bland tomato sauce that seemed canned (I know, the TV shows them making it from scratch). They packed the place for the TV show, but you'll have no trouble getting a table. We sat by the bar, so there was an abundance of TV and butt-crack visible from our table. The pizza my partner had is about the only passable thing there was to eat here. This place is so far out of the way, and so hard to find that our GPS threw a tantrum. It was a huge disappointment, and I blame Fieri for that.
(1)Jason F.
I ate here this past Friday with my girlfriend for dinner. We decided to come here after randomly seeing it featured on a repeat of Guy Fieri's Diners Drive-Ins And Dives earlier in the week. The outside is not too much to look at but the inside is comfortable. Appropriately we were seated right underneath a Guy Fieri poster that proclaimed that the Veal Parmigiana "as big as yer head". As you would expect with food that large it seemed that everyone that was leaving the restaurant had a to-go box. We knew from the episode that they make their wedding soup from scratch daily and so started off with a cup of that. It had a good taste to it and had much more chicken flavor than most wedding soups that I have had in the past. The escarole as a green was also pretty nice. For my entree I decided on having the Veal Parmigiana sandwich as I wanted to see how big it actually was while my girlfriend decided upon the lasagna. Both portions were quite large with the sandwich being as large as advertised and I have a picture to prove it! It actually ended up being so big that I could not possibly fit my mouth around it. So I ended up taking off the top which essentially made it into two open faced sandwiches. The bread was crispy while the veal was fried nicely and the sauce and cheese complimented the rest nicely. My only complaint with it is that it was a bit dry and I think that some more sauce could have been helpful with that. Even so, the half of the sandwich that I ate tasted good. My girlfriends lasagna also seemed to be a super sized portion as it filled up her whole plate. It had a lot of ricotta cheese in it which helped to give it an overall flavor that I enjoyed. Like almost everyone else that I saw, we ended up leaving with some to-go boxes as I still had half of my sandwich left and my girlfriend half of her lasagna. The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here again in the future. It was a cool little place in which you definitely get a huge portion size for your money and the food is pretty good too!
(4)Beth B.
Amid the modern scene of strip mall restaurant chains and tired cliches masquerading as innovative establishments, Big Jim's is a refreshing surprise. For those of us who were children in the 70s or 80s, a visit to Big Jim's becomes a bit of a time warp back to childhood. It's divey, dark, and the decor probably hasn't changed since the place opened in 1977. In other words, it's pretty freaking awesome. If time warping to the late 70s isn't enough for you, how about giant portions of delicious comfort food? Bring your appetite and a friend. The meals here are immense. My husband, 3-year-old daughter, and I all shared a chicken parm sandwich and I still had a little piece of my portion to bring home. The chicken was tender and generously topped with flavorful marinara and melted cheese. Oh, and the bread. Can't forget the bread. The sandwich is served on a crusty half loaf of delicious Italian bread. Overall, I think this place is great. Bear in mind that the criticisms of other reviewers - digs about the decor or the uniforms - were positive in my book. I love that this place has likely never been renovated. If it were to be renovated, I probably would never go back. I like time travel. Oh, and as a side note, Big Jim's was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Take that as you will. If you pride yourself on visiting places that are featured on television shows, then put this on your list. If not, still put this restaurant your list because it's a funky place straight out of the 70s with excellent food. Happy time traveling!
(5)Lauren M.
Love their calzones and eggplant parm. The staff is always nice an friendly. Great place to grab and beer and watch the game. Not the fanciest place in the burgh but they don't pretend to be either. Just a good old fashioned Pgh bar with great food and nice people.
(4)Chris K.
Hard to find, but worth the effort. Try the DDD faves! The meatball sandwich is the best I've ever had!
(5)John L.
Tried it based on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives...1st time the program has let us down. Definitely a dump. Salad - old wilted lettuce. Ordered the chicken parm. Portion was immense, but the taste really poor. And the pasta was overcooked. Overall - not good.
(2)Kaleigh L.
Everything is amazing here. Super friendly staff, huge portions, relaxed atmosphere and good prices. I have never had a bad meal or bad experience here. I suggest the Chicken and Meatball Parm dinners. Amazing. Their sandwiches and hoagies are also fantastic. You cant get a bad meal here and if you leave hungry, it's definitely your fault!
(5)Darren W.
My dad lived in Greenfield for a time during his reckless, Dead End Kids youth and for years has spoken well of Big Jim's and of the godlike sandwiches they serve. Watching it become nationally famous through Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" was exciting, surreal, and made me all the more anxious to stop by. Shockingly, Kay had this place bookmarked for months! The other night, we decided to put off a visit no longer. Unassuming during the day, ominous after dark, Big Jim's occupies a building that sits below a poorly-lit underpass in a portion of the neighborhood known as "The Run." When you walk in, however, you are greeted graciously like a longtime friend and fed lovingly with hefty helpings of food that runs the gamut from bar and diner fare to good old Sunday evening homestyle cooking. It was the latter path that Kay chose with her Italian Wedding Soup and Hot Roast Beef Sandwich entree. The sandwich was a mountain of beef, bread, gravy, and fries that poor Kay only halfway finished. Dad recommended either the Italian Hoagie or the Bacon Burger. Thankfully, I listened to reason and didn't attempt to devour both, so I just went with the burger and was rewarded with an archetypal patty that was burly, copiously juicy, criminally fresh, and sublimely cooked to my specifications. In fact, EVERYTHING about this burger was open-faced perfection, from the veggies and sharp, solid, chilly, dill pickle to a bun so blessedly baked and brand-new, my imagination led me to believe that it had sprung from the ovens of Shangri-La. All hail Big Jim's Bacon Burger. Its place in the pantheon has been quickly secured. However, their fries, served in an insurmountable heap along with all else on their menu, need work. Brown, greasy, and limp, I've honestly had better fries at Eat N Park. I coulda, shoulda ordered onion rings. Oy. Remember kids, cut them fresh, change the oil regularly, fry them twice. The atmosphere was very casual, talkative, and family-oriented, and the service was friendly, speedy, and graceful; our waiter didn't miss a beat in spite of how busy the restaurant was. I'll certainly be back for that Italian Hoagie. Until then... P.S. Who didn't know that a framed picture of Guy Fieri would be on the wall?
(4)October R.
I love Big Jim's! The staff are always personable and the food is always fantastic! Everything is made to order; pizzas, Stromboli, and calzones take about 30 minutes (be patient, it's worth the wait). The portions are gigantic so you 'll be able to take something home for later. My boyfriend and I come here often; he is a creature of habit and always orders the 2 bill sandwich (a reuben plus a fried egg), I on the other hand like to switch things up. I've had the gardenburger (they'll ask what you want on it), the alfredo is amazing, eggplant parm is pretty standard but still delicious and a veggie stromboli (I could only eat half and I have a pretty healthy appetite). The french fries are thin and get cold fast so eat 'em first There is something for everyone to enjoy, even vegetarians!!
(5)Isabella L.
Big Jim's was the first place I hit up on my cross-country trip from Philly to L.A., so I was expecting delicious, gut busting, bad-for-you food in large quantities, and that's what I got :) I ordered the lasagna. Someone on Yelp said it was big as a head - yeah, they weren't kidding. This lasagna was huge and boy was it good. I give it a 4 out of 5, although I'm not sure if they could do much more to improve it - I think they should add another type of cheese to the top to make it a tad more flavorful, but that's my take. My husband got the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were not as big as I expected, but their slightly spicy flavor was really awesome. The pasta and garlic bread were just right too. All right so the food has me around 5 stars, but why the 4? Well, I could handle being in a shady part of town and the overall dark, dreary character of the place, cause as Guy said on Triple D it's a Dive - fine. But at these type of places I expect really good service from friendly people. Well, we had 2 servers - one was friendly but really difficult to get over to the table and the other was less likely to come around without being harassed and also seemed annoyed with everyone there. For the out-of-towners deciding between Big Jim's and something like Primanti Bros, go with Big Jim's - seriously.
(4)Amber H.
I've been here a couple times and like it --- it's comfortable in a yinzer way. The walls have dark paneling, the food is unpretentious, the portions are huge, the bill is low - and the service is pleasant but not overly chatty/fake. My favorites on the menu are chicken parm and pizza. The chicken parm is huge (2-3 meals on a plate, basically). The chicken isn't pounded too thin, which is key because they do put a decent amount of "crust" on the chicken (which I happen to like because mmm FRIED BATTER) and the pasta isn't overcooked. Pizza isn't thin crust -- but it's not pan thick either. I love it for that reason. It holds up to the tons of cheese (that actually melts into goo without being a gummy mess). The pasta and pizza sauces are good -- on the sweeter side, but not overly so. Husband likes the turkey club - it has a ton of thick sliced turkey breast. I'm mainly taking a star off because I don't like their fries, which are homemade shoe string. I am kind of picky when it comes to fries -- so, maybe I am being too critical. I just found them to be kind of mushy and weak. Maybe I just got a bad batch? I dunno, after having them once, I never ordered them again. The neighborhood is just fine. Unless working class neighborhoods and urban infrastructure scares you. I think it reads as sketchy to some people because it's tiny, nothing is fancy, and the businesses aren't all clustered together. The Run looks like a small working class town.
(4)Katonah O.
Massive servings, friendly folks. First timer. Decent meal all around. I had the Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, so I had to try it here. Great big tasty bread (toasted, not grilled), yummy kraut and cheese. But the corned beef .. well, they didn't cook it there. Must have come in with the rest of the cold cuts. Not the reubens I'm used to. I will come by for the veal parm, though. There's enough quality to bring me back.
(3)Tatyana K.
I first noticed this place on my run, then I came across it in a Pittsburgh traveling guide and finally, some 5 months later, I had an opportunity to visit yesterday. It's in a part of Greenfield called The Run, tucked away from main roads and traffic. Parking is super easy, the neighborhood looks a little sketch but I've ran here at night in the dark and it seems fine. The restaurant was packed! For this location, I thought it would be pretty empty. Lots of families, relaxing and enjoying their huge dinners. We were seated right away, with people constantly checking up on us, right away we got beer and menus. I'd say we had 3 waiters as all of them made sure everything was great. The food is home-style, comfort food - lots of hoagies, sandwiches and pasta, they have their menu online. I ordered a 2-bill sandwich: corned beef, swiss cheese, slaw and a fried egg. It was HUGE and came with more coleslaw. It sounds like they only have 4 beers on tap. Highlight of my meal - noticing Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives poster on a wall, autographed. I'm not a huge fan of the show but still thought it pretty cool to eat at a place featured on Food Network's show!
(4)Bernard S.
There are a million places that serve food like this in Pittsburgh. The thing that sets Big Jim's apart is that it tastes reeeeeeel good and they give you ALOT of food. One thing food places similar to Big Jim's does to offset the mediocre food is the portion, in the run the food tastes better and the portions set the bar again. The calzone is a large supreme pizza folded in half. It typically takes me 3 meals to complete it. The Reuben is solid, big thick and flavorful as the toppings overflow the sides of the marble rye bread. The burgers, I feel are a little lacking, but they offer a black bean burger. The eggplant parm appetizer is easily a filling meal for one person.
(4)David L.
Saw it on DDD. It was awesome. Reuben sandwich was great. My friends had a fish sandwich and a 2 bill sandwich and they loved theirs. When I get back to Pittsburgh will definitely eat there again. Worth the trip. Once again, its AWESOME!
(5)Ed B.
I saw Big Jim's on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Went there when in Pittsburgh with my son visiting Pitt, had a great lunch. My son went to Pitt and I have been back several times. The food is very good, large servings and reasonably priced. This place will surprise you. It is off the beaten path. You have to be looking for it because it is below the highway in a neighborhood that leads nowhere to my knowledge. It is unattractive at best but the service is good, food is very good, fresh, plentiful and very reasonable. If you like good food, funky places and you are not a snob stop in and give it a try.
(5)Ryan P.
I went here expecting the worst, and was pleasantly surprised - the place is funky. Expect huge portions of cheap, fairly good although on the greasy side... food. Bring your apetite! The calzone is big enough to feed four for dinner, easily. Salad was okay, and the salmon sandwich was better than expected (but not great). Next time I crave some hearty food, I'll probably come back and get a pizza or calzone.
(4)Annie Q.
I love the calzones and that seems to be the best thing on the menu. The spicy meat Calzone might be the best folded pizza I've ever had. Portions are Huge. WE did see a pasta being ordered once- HUGE HUGE HUGE. The only other thing worth a visit for is the new breakfast. It is a grease heaven. The potatoes are kicking but huge in number. Pancakes put the word cake back in the equation. It feels really good after a drinking night and I recommend it. But go for the calzones. They are HUGE- imagine large pizza folded for maybe 8 bucks or something amazing. Feeds 3-4 EASILY. I barely barely can eat a fourth, and i love my food (know what I mean). Owners really nice to. Overall, solid Greenfield place.
(4)Kay E.
The only reason I want to try this little dive tucked away on a barely lit street was because my dear dad saw it listed in one of his cooking magazines since it had been featured on DDD (you know the show I mean). I wish I knew what Guy recommended so I could decided what to try from the massive selection! I am not a burger person, but the hot pot roast and fries with gravy sounded pretty good to me! When I saw the gigantic plate coming from the kitchen I knew right away I couldn't finish it. For the price, the portion size alone is a value! I did also order Wedding soup. Something I never even heard of before moving to Pittsburgh, The soup itself was very delicious. Not bland and with few meatballs (which is FINE with me!). At least I didn't have to ask for the Parmesan cheese, the server brought it out with the soup. My meal itself was just okay. The bread was kind of tough and hard to cut. The beef didn't have much flavor, but the gravy helped this. The fries, sadly, tasted like the oil they were cooked in needed changed badly. At first I though maybe it was just that there was still skin left on the potatoes, but Darren pointed out the oil problem. Another comment, WHAT IS WITH THIS AREA AND CURT SERVERS??? If you aren't from Pittsburgh I think you'll be shocked at the rudeness. Darren seems used to it (swearing that "they aren't being rude")...and if this is what you get used to here, I am heartbroken. Is friendly service too much to ask for? If I decide to come back, I will try a different sandwich.
(3)Russ D.
My review is based strictly on the rueben and/or two-bill sandwiches. Hands down the best in the city, and yes I've been to Szmidt's. It's the go to spot for my g/f's family to celebrate birthday's, and I'm looking forward to another sandwich tomorrow night for that very reason. Yes it's a dive, but it's comfortable, and I appreciate a place that doesn't take it self too seriously.
(4)Amanda E.
I love Big Jim's. It's honestly my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh. The portions are huge, the food is delicious and the price is good! I've had the lasagna several times and it has never disappointed. Seriously the portion is huge! The servers are always friendly and attentive, I've never had a bad experience at this restaurant.
(5)T.C. J.
Great neighborhood, great little divey place, and good food at great prices. I play basketball at the hoops courts down in the Run and often will stop by Big Jim's afterward to get some much needed sustenance. The portions are huge and almost everything is good. The last time I was there I got the Reuben and it did not disappoint. Stacked high with meat and good tasting and I think it was only around 8 dollars. The service at the bar isn't all that attentive, but by no means is poor. It is exactly what you would expect at a place like this. If you are looking for a fancy night out this surely isn't the place, but it is absolutely perfect for what it is. Cheap food and drinks in huge portions.
(4)Daniel C.
Yes, the portions are gigantic..the calzone one of my party ordered was about the size of a Ford Pinto. This is a wonderful, gritty place, that is oozing with character. The food is more than decent, and our waitress was a sweetheart. The prices are very reasonable. Be sure to check out the condom dispenser in the men's room for a very funny inscription a patron has written on it.
(3)Michael M.
This is somewhere between 3 and 4 (give it a 3.5). The chicken parm hoagie is a 5. It is awesome - big, tasty, awesome. Wife got stuffed shells - they were good, the cheese was fresh and soft. I liked the marinara, but the wife said it was just ok, a little bland. Meatballs did lack flavor - pretty bland and a little disappointing. Excellent service - seemed like a real neighborhood place. The pizza looked damn good - we would definitely go back.
(3)Ed C.
Had the reuben, which was good and big enough for two. Will try the veal parmagian sandwich next time.
(4)Chuck B.
My wife and I are Triple D junkies so we try to find places wherever we travel that Guy has been to. Last night we tried Big Jim's. She had the Chicken Parm sandwich and I had the Gnocchi. Both were fabulous. Obviously, the sandwich was way to big for one sitting snowed took the rest for a late night snack.
(5)Joseph S.
This is a great neighborhood restaurant/bar. I went with friends on the recommendation of a Food Network host, and was not disappointed. The food is greasy, delicious, and comes in large portions. Not to mention, it's cheap. Be prepared to wait, though - it's a popular place!
(4)Elena C.
What a hole in the wall! But who cares? The food is delicious. :) We started off with house salads. The dressing was awesome but I handed my olives over to T who gladly accepted. For my meal I had the chicken parm. The plate was the size of my body. Not my head, my body. Delicious. Covered in gooey cheese and piping hot, rich red sauce. Yum. The pasta was less impressive and the reason for the missing star above. Bland bland bland. Just needed to add a little salt to the cooking water and all would have been well. But no matter. I concentrated on the chicken and left stuffed. I would definitely go back to try other offerings. The sandwiches were obscenely large but looked awesome.
(4)Matt D.
Take a step back with me: The year, circa 1985. When the family Chevy wagon heads out on a Saturday afternoon jaunt from the Pittsburgh suburbs with all 5 kids in tow, we all know that, while the zoo/museum/ballgame is going to be fun, the highlight is going to be the dinner stop at Big Jim's. After which the overloaded sky-blue Impala (with its overloaded occupants), will lumber back onto the parkway east, stuffed and homeward bound... Yeah, my old man was thrifty (5 kids will do that to you), this was about all of the dining out we ever did as a family. But he certainly had taste! I can proudly say I have been enjoying Big Jim's for more than 20 of my 30 years... as good now as it was then (or better, as I can now share in the pitchers). I'm glad to see that the other Yelp reviews here treat it as it should be treated, not as haute cuisine (some other online reviews questioned the cleanliness of the bathrooms, which appear to have been last sanitized shortly before I started going there. This was also the last time the condom dispenser was replenished, judging by the written descriptions), but as what it truly is: your yinzer cousin's woodgrained-laminate basement rec-room, only with fantastic, gigantic portions of Pittsburgh comfort food, served by friendly folks... If you simply want your mind boggled at shear food quantity, go with one of the calzones every time. The "Big Jim" named for the now-deceased founder (I have seen this man, he was indeed not small), has a small deli-case worth of cured meats inside, and is served hanging over the edges of a large pizza tray. I myself am not a small man, and this dish constitutes three solid meals for me. Believe it or not, this place used to be even cheaper, the above calzone now runs the better part of 10 dollars... What can I say, I'm nearly as cheap as Dad, though it's still worth every penny. Also, reservations are accepted for very large parties (6 or more, I think). I had to suffer through the DD role for a bachelor's party on my most recent visit, Big Jim's without beer was kinda like delicious purgatory. Though the service was, as ever, fantastic, without being the least overbearing: After it became clear I was drinking pop, a tiny, halfsize pitcher appeared next to my glass. Needless to say, many humorous "giant calzone siting" photos were snapped next to my mini pitcher with available cellphones... Can't recommend it enough, one visit will make you a believer. This is the kind of place that brought me back to Pittsburgh after early-20s wanderings. Though the men's toilet is, like all good bars, not for the faint of heart!
(5)Leonard W.
My sister told me about this place while we were driving around exploring Pittsburgh. Obviously it was because of DD&D.So finding the place was kind of hard since I didnt know the roads that well. Once getting here I have to agree that it looks like its in a weird place or at least an old town of the area. Park in the back and go in. Nice interior, very homely feel, and they were showing the world cup which is always nice. So because I've never been here we decide to order a bundle. We order the lasagna, the buffalo chicken wings (full), a reuben sandwich, and onion rings. The lady was nice and friendly brought out some waters for my sis, cousin, and me. The wait was a while for the food but im sure everythings fresh and not just sitting there waiting. The wings looked nice, the reuben was big portioned, and my lasagna was out of this world in size. Just looking at it almost gave me acid reflux lol. The food was good nonetheless. The truth is I would probably give this place 4 stars but I wasnt too impressed with the taste. The portions were huge, the prices were great, but I just felt something was missing from the taste. Dont get me wrong, this place would be a massive frequent if i lived in the area because of the menu and prices, but from my visit, i would give it 3.5 stars. Once i go back and try some other dishes I would gladly revise my rating.
(3)Alex W.
I love Big Jim's! It's very cheap, the portions are massive, and the food (wedding soup, open faced turkey sandwich, and fish sandwich) is fantastic. The service is not fast or overly warm, but so what. Order another beer and enjoy your company and the great food.
(5)Pat M.
Best veal Parm going
(5)Loni W.
During a recent trip to Pittsburgh, my boyfriend and I decided to try Big Jim's. The atmosphere was casual and busy since we were there on a Friday night but very friendly. I strongly recommend their Italian Wedding soup and, if you are up for a challenge, the veal pram sandwich.
(5)Allen B.
I saw this on triple D so I had to try it. The food is okay and the place is kinda a dive. Not the kind of place you'd want to bring a date. I would probably come back but there are plenty of other places in Pittsburgh that I prefer.
(3)Ty S.
Very cool little corner of town. It might look a bit sketchy, but was very safe. Extremely good Reuben and a frosty pint of beer. Will come here again
(4)A H.
o,m,g best sandwich i had in my life. i wish they made sandwich like this in los angeles
(5)Je'Amour M.
sheer joy being an Italian woman and find a place with decent wedding soup & lovely entrees and sandwiches...
(5)melissa k.
Food was just awesome; and Scott our host/waiter was the best ever, never an empty drink and great personality. We had the meatballs, pizza and chicken Parm hoagies. We just LOVED being there!
(5)F P.
Ah yes...Big Jim's. I have been eating here since the early 80s when my Mom worked there. My first memory of video games comes from Big Jim's. I was sitting on someone's lap playing a table top version of Q-Bert. Those were the days. This place is just a hole in the wall. But its a great one. No matter what you get off the menu, its tasty. This time, we got the open-faced roast beef sandwich, the open-faced turkey sandwich, a small cheese pizza and a chicken parm sandwich. The two open-faced sandwiches are awesome. Big piles of meat and gravy on top of hearty chunks of Italian bread and thin-cut homemade fries. The turkey was real sliced turkey from a turkey breast. The roast beef is fresh sliced, too. The pizza is always good. The really pile on the cheese. Unfortunately today, they piled the sauce on, too. There was literally enough sauce to scoop off the pizza and eat with a fork. Which I did, because their sauce is almost as good as my own. Still though...all that sauce is not needed. The chicken parm was okay. It was a large chicken cutlet but it wasn't very crispy. The bread was good and just like the pizza, the cheese was piled high on this hoagie. Other than the overly saucy pizza the only real complaint was the waitress wasn't very friendly. This is atypical of the place and this is the first time I can recall having a crabapple for a server here. I don't like to base my reviews on previous visits, and I won't. But I well touch base on some of the other menu items that are top notch. Their pasta is always good. They really do have a good sauce. I'm not the kind of person who likes ordering pasta in restaurants because its never as good as my own (or my father's). But Big Jim's is the sort of place I can break my rules over. They have these fried eggplant appetizers. They're awesome. Skip the parmesan version and just get them with marinara on the side. The salads are always huge. Just make sure you tell them you don't need any french fries on them...Big Jim's, just like many other restaurants in this city, likes to muck up a perfectly good salad by dumping fries all over them. They have a homemade Italian dressing that is truly delicious. We've commented time and time again how we wish we could buy it by the bottle and take it home with us. All the meat on their sandwiches is the real deal. Actual sliced roast beef and turkey. I don't know where they get their cold cuts from, but they're not cheap....they're quite good. The bread's great, as well. Crispy and flaky on the outside, soft and hearty on the inside. Like I said...pretty much everything on the menu is good. We've tried a little bit of everything on the menu and you can't go wrong.
(5)Mike P.
Pretty mediocre....saw the place on triple D and wanted to try it. Wedding soup was good, chicken parm was huge but not particularly outstanding. Tomato sauce had a strange taste to it. Place is a real dump but has character
(3)Gwen K.
Just had to update this to say that Big Jim's is now smoke free!
(4)McCall N.
A friend of mine saw this on Diners, Drive-In's & Dives, so we knew we had to try it. It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it's a family favorite. Don't come here if you're in a hurry, but the food is worth the wait. Huge portions & fairly cheap.
(4)Randy T.
Was visiting Pitt a while back and everyone said Big Jims was the place to eat. They couldnt have been more right. Big Jims is a place you wouldnt even notice as a restaurant on the outside and I cant even recall any businesses surrounding it. The food is where this place really shines. I settled on the Veal Parmesan and couldnt believe my eyes when it came to the table, the veal was bigger than my platter! I couldnt even finish my meal and ended up taking half of it home, great value for the money. They also make homemade wedding soup thats outta this world! We woulda dined at Big Jim's our entire time in Pitt but Diners Drive Inn's and Dives happened to be filming while we were there and we couldnt get near the place again, bummer!
(5)Jessica B.
Like many others reviewing Big Jim's, I was inspired to try it after seeing the Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives episode in which it was featured. Based on what I saw on the show, and what I had read on Yelp, I knew to expect huge portions and the "homey" (to put it nicely) decor. Indeed, it was decorated like a suburban grandparents basement, but it actually was kind of charming. I went with my husband and a friend one Friday night a few weeks ago. We got there around 7pm and it was crowded but we did not have to wait for a table. Unlike many reviewers here, our service was definitely not slow; a waitress was almost immediately at the table to take drink orders (before we all got a chance to look through the menu) and made herself available throughout the meal, frequently checking in with us. I really wanted to try the meatballs, which had been showcased on DDD. I ordered two as an appetizer (husband and friend ordered jalapeno poppers, of which I am not a fan and did not try. They claimed they were tasty). The meatballs were quite delicious and so was the accompanying sauce. I could tell both were homemade, and enjoyed the sauce so much that even when I had finished the meat, I scraped up the rest of the sauce with my fork to finish it all. For dinner I ordered a hot sausage calzone. The waitress told me that it would take about 30 minutes to cook, and since we ordered apps I didn't care. Again, I knew from watching DDD that the portion would be ridiculous, and it was: it was as if someone took a large pizza and folded it in half. It really was that big. But, I can say this as a hard-core foodie and a self-labeled gourmand, it was the best damn calzone I have ever eaten. Hands down; no contest. The dough was thin and crisp and perfectly, uniformly browned. In general, my critique about calzones is that there is often way too much cheese (I am not a fan of tons and tons of cheese), but this calzone had the proporations down perfectly: fresh delicious fillings of sausage, peppers and onions, and a smattering of cheese to tie it all together. The sausage was indeed spicy, sliced thinly and bursting with flavor. The onion and peppers appeared to have been roasted first, then thinly sliced, which also added an unexpected dimension of flavor. A winner. And we had enough calzone left over to eat throughout the rest of the weekend. My husband ordered a reuben sandwich which he said was really good, and our friend ordered the immense veal parm sandwich which she described as delicious. I will definitely go back to Big Jim's. I want to try other things on the menu but I am already craving that calzone again. Seriously: this place is worth the trip and I can now see why people rave about it. I am only giving it four stars because of the decor. Yes: I get it, you're homey and dive-y and unpretentious, yadda yadda, but if someone spent 2 hours sprucing the interior of that place up, it would make a huge difference.
(4)Janel D.
We saw this place on the tv show Diners Drive-ins and Dives and had to try it. The place is certainly a dive in terms of the decor, but when you taste the food it doesn't matter one bit. It's actually kind of refreshing that this place stands solely on it's food. We had the wedding soup which was phenomenal. It was filled with delicious meatballs, pieces of chicken and had a great flavor! We also had a pizza and split an order of meatballs. The meatballs and the marinara that they came in were quite tasty, and left us wanting more. While the pizza was very good, we wished we had ordered some pasta after admiring our neighbor's choices. We will definitely return for another tasting session sometime soon. The wait staff was efficient but not overly friendly. They were spread a bit thin and seemed to have a way of doing things that didn't always put the customer's needs first. But, again, the food stands on it's own, and if that's what you are going there for, then you will certainly not be disappointed!
(4)scott s.
Awesome place. Small, friendly, super cheap and super big portions. The appetizer eggplant is large enough to serve as a meal, with some left over for tomorrow's lunch.
(5)Jenn P.
Um... Am I the only one who is going to say that they had problems with this place???? I didn't get this place at all!!!! Bill and i saw this joint on Triple D with Guy Fieri , and we had to experience it for ourselves. Thats where the problem began. First off, we Had to wait in line at a dive bar in a shady part of town for 30 minutes!!!! Then, when we finally were seated, we noticed that the dish washer from the back was taking our drink order, (which took forever to get back to us!!! Doesnt anyone know what pete's wicked ale is???? MORONS!!!!) Dont even get me started on the food, which took a over an hour to make and get to our table. The wedding soup was a joke!!! too salty, Ive had better... I dont know... If you like to wait around for your food, then this is the place for you, ( they do have take out, i dont know how long that would take to make though....) So basically, We spent over 2 hours in this place in which this is time we will never get back. Btw, thanks for wasting our time.... we know better now
(2)Tara B.
Excellent find. We came here because of Yelp reviews. And we're really happy we did. Our table of nine started at the bar for an hour and had great appetizers (the bartender steered us to zucchini and it was fantastic). We loved seeing the various foods come to the tables. Our table had massive amounts of food. Perhaps the best was the corned beef on rye. It was incredible. So was the meatball sub. That was pretty amazing too. If and when I get back to Pittsburgh, off all the places I dined, this is THE ONE I would make a point to return to.
(4)Shreyas V.
We went here, encouraged by the reviews on yelp. Definitely not disappointed. Got take out, but had to wait around 40 min for our order.. So make sure you call in if you're planning on take out. Tried the reuben sandwich and it was pretty good... one of the best I've tasted in Pittsburgh. My wife got the lasagne and she liked it. The serving size is HUGE.. Will easily last for more than 1 meal. Definitely coming back here to try other stuff on their menu.
(4)Todd B.
Great place for families and Italian food. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, this place really does have sandwiches as.big as your head. It's crazy. Great hometown service. Small place. Get there early or be willing to wait. But trust me, it's worth the wait. Great chicken parm, fried zucchini, HUGE sandwiches and the calzones are as big as a small child. Am not kidding. Worth the weight, I mean wait. Great place. Loved every minute.
(4)Emily L.
I wonder if there is a crowd surge at Big Jim's every time their episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives airs. My husband and I had watched the episode earlier in the week and were feeling Italian so we decided to make the short hike from South Side. I ordered a bowl of Wedding Soup and half of a meatball hoagie. He ordered the lasagna. The meatballs are good and the hoagie hit the spot, largely due to the bread and melted cheese. The wedding soup is delicious! Neither of us were impressed by the lasagna. There wasn't much flavor / seasoning aside from the sauce which is a little on the safe "no indigestion afterwards" side. The portions are generous and the atmosphere is definitely divey with late 70's decor and a dedicated clientele of local regulars. I would say it's a great place for a sandwich, soup and a beer. I was eyeing up the jumbo wings someone at the bar ordered. I would definitely give Big Jim's another shot.
(2)Mitchell B.
My favorite spot in Pittsburgh when I'm hungry. The portions are big and so is the flavor. You cannot beat this place. Their house Italian is great and while their Veal Parm is simple, it is done very well. If you want to have a cheap, relaxed meal and do not mind dated, dusty paintings that you may find in your grandmother's attic on the walls around you, then go to Big Jim's.
(5)Jesse T.
I've had a lot of great sandwiches in the Burgh. Szmidt's, Peppi's and primanti's, they all put out a great product. But the Best Sandwich that I have had in Pittsburgh?? The Reuben at Big Jims in the Run, Greenfield. Sooo spectacular!!! Perfect in every way. I haven't eaten at Gaucha Parilla Argentina yet, so I won't call it the best in the Burgh. But it is the best so far.
(5)Mike H.
If you follow me on the rest of my social media (HITTofMCM) then you've been waiting for this review. I know that you come to Yelp to find out about the actual product, the Food, and I'll get to that, but Big Jims isn't just about the food no matter how good it is, it's about what this place stands for. Living in Pittsburgh my whole life I can't believe I've never been. The building has been in the GreenField Run since the early 1900's but the restaurant opened in 1977. I've eaten at a lot of places, I've BEEN to a lot of places, but sitting in Big Jims waiting for my food I couldn't help but feel at home, even a bit emotional from the love oozing from this place. I sat at the bar and had the pleasure of having a gentlemen by the name of Scott serve me my Bahama Mama. He started there in 1997 and said he could never see himself working for anyone else even before they appeared on the famous food show DINERS, DRIVE INS AND DIVES. He asked me about myself and what I do and I told him about IM SO BURGH and other things all while he tended to everyone who was there and everyone who came in as if they were all one big family. He knew everyone by name, he knew what some people wanted before they ordered it and he and all the staff operated in a way that wasn't overly friendly and fake but, honest a bit exhausted from life and always with a smile just like it would be at home after a long day. I told him all my Facebook family encouraged me to come here after I posted how I wanted the best Reuben Sandwich I could find in the city of Pittsburgh. While I waited for the food he pointed out they are going through a bit of a revitalization getting new carpet put in, painting tiles and changing walls as if it was renovations in his own home. He pointed out photos of before they were open and a big portrait of Big Jim himself looking all Tony Soprano. He appeared to be a man who got respect and gave it just the same. If I based this review alone on my experience and atmosphere it would get 5 stars but then my food came and as I write this, I wish Yelp had a 6 star system. My Reuben entered my place at the bar like a prize winning champion. The Rye bread was toasted just enough to give it that crisp texture but not too much. The sauerkraut and Swiss was just right and the thousand island dressing was just enough to marinate and flavor but the star of any Reuben is the meat and this didn't disappoint. Thinly shaved, grilled just right with not a moment of chewiness or toughness it melted in your mouth all the way to the last bite. Everything on the sandwich played its role like a team of ingredients should, and just in case I liked a little more Thousand Island, without even asking Scott made sure I had it right by my plate. Each bite made me a little bit more sad because I knew it was coming to an end. Like a night out with good friends that you wish lasted forever, that's how I felt about my closing time with this Reuben, Scott and Big Jims as a whole. I'll be back. I promised them that. Once to take my woman to dinner and a third time to spread the word with friends. The fourth time though, I'll need another solo visit to recapture that first visit feel all over again. If you're from Pittsburgh or just visiting skip the chain places and head to Big Jims, they have something for everyone.
(5)Lambert P.
My friend said this place was on triple D and he wanted to try it so we ended up going. Big Jim's in the Run is essentially right in the middle of a residential zone. It doesn't really feel like you are walking into a business at first because of the area you drove through to get there. You will most likely end up parking on the street in front of somebody's home nearby. This place has what I call quintessential "American Italian". What that means is that it's not necessarily Italian but rather Americanized Italian food which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's just not the same. The first thing you will notice is that the decor is very simple. This place is the last "D" in the title of the show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives". This place is a dive and it's part of the charm of the place. They are not trying to be anything outside of what they are besides themselves which is what makes this place genuine. The servings at this place are really large in that one dish can maybe feed 2 people. If each of your party orders a dish you will most likely not finish your meal. The salads are huge, the bread comes to the table at first the entrees will fill you up big time. The food at the same time is good as well. The lasagna has A LOT of ricotta in it... almost too much. The veal sandwich I ordered was almost the size of the plate! All that being said it's not a lot of money for a lot of food. While it's not the greatest Italian food I've had it's one of the better American Italian food places I've eaten at and I can't say you leave hungry because the portions are beyond generous to the point of being family sized. The service was very welcoming and friendly.
(3)Christy B.
Found this place on the Food Network app from the Diners, Drive-In & Dives show. I was concerned about going in as it truly is a hole in the wall place but this was the best meal of our entire vacation from NC to Canada. We had the eggplant parmigiana sub, chicken parmigiana sub & fettuccine alfredo- all were fabulous!
(5)Vinny A.
I ate the WHOLE calzone and didn't even get a t-shirt?!? Really? Not even a discount?!? Seriously, my stomach hurts so bad right now, but I conquered the beast. The whole, delicious beast in all of its entirety. This place is not a diner, not a drive-in...definitely a dive, but, man is it good! Came with a business party of about twelve and the place accommodated us just fine and without hesitation. Everyone loved their food, so I'll definitely be back...though next time for a MUCH smaller portion...or at least when I have portion-control. Super delicious and a super dive! Gotta' love places like this! Cheers!
(4)Casey S.
One of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh. Certainly a hidden gem. I of course have to comment on the absolute delicious wedding soup. It's hard to find good wedding soup in a restaurant; it's usually either bland or too salty. But Big Jim's gets it just right. They're other dishes are equally yummy and the portions are always huge. Love the pasta with white clam sauce - so many clams! Have also eaten the gnocchi but ordered it with a marinara rather than the meat sauce. They took a bit long to cook but were well worth the wait. Also, all pasta dishes come with a yummy warm and buttery garlic toast! Have also tried steak sandwich and the premium grilled chicken sandwich which are both also good. The bread is fabulous. Have never been hungry enough for dessert but I'm sure it would rock.
(5)Amanda B.
I heard many good things about Big Jim's from my husband and friends as well as Yelp, so I knew I had to try it. We went at about 7pm on a Friday night and were seated right away. As the night went on the whole place filled up. I didn't have much expectation as to what the place looked like and I'm glad... It was definitely a dive, but a hidden gem. We got nachos and cheese for an appetizer and the portion was huge. It took a little while for our food to come out even after we were completely done with our appetizer. However, we had a small child with us and they were good about bringing her food out first. I got the chicken Parmesan hoagie. It was huge! A half of it would be comparable to a whole hoagie other places. It was pretty good. My husband had the open faced roast beef sandwich and fries and his friend had the roast beef au jus. They both liked their dishes, but thought the roast beef was a bit overdone. The gravy on the sandwich was amazing! Our other friend had the Reuben and it was the best Reuben I've ever had!! Our server was extremely attentive. We thought the portions were extremely generous for the price and we will definitely be back!
(4)Michael P.
First off, regardless of the stars you see here, make sure you know what type of place this is. It is very much a DIVE/BAR, set in a residential area, and very easy to miss. The food is decent, but nothing to write home about. If you are of the mindset that large amounts of so-so tasting food at cheap prices = great place, then you will love it here. Probably not a place to take a first date - unless she is dressed in a Steeler's jersey.
(3)Dom D.
Been coming here for about 25 years now, my late mother's favorite restaurant. Service is amazing, and the portions are huge! Love the roast beef sandwich and the chicken hoagie. Gotta try the veal sandwich one of these days!
(5)GM O.
A staple in Pittsburgh. You get big portions in this place, so come hungry or you ll have leftovers for the next couple days. This time of year, it s all about fish! They have a Friday Lenten menu: Fish, fried or broiled, Mac n Cheese and or Huluski or Crabby cakes. Stop in at least one time during Lent.
(4)Jean F.
This place is amazing. No questions about it. The food is always so delicious and the portions are massive. I'm a big fan of the fettuccine alfredo. The alfredo sauce is so creamy and buttery. It's better than most straight italian places in Pittsburgh. But don't be fooled this is not just an italian menu. The menu has so many different options to cater to whatever you might be craving on a particular evening. And it's all priced so incredibly reasonable. Great if you've got a couple of hungry kids you're trying to feed without breaking the bank. And, the beer selection is pretty extensive. They've recently added a huge beer list to the bar that will satisfy everyone from the light beer lovers to the craft beer connoisseurs. Again, without breaking the bank. It really is the perfect place to spend a night out without spending your whole paycheck. The staff is always so friendly, kind and attentive. Even if they're slammed and it takes a minute for them to serve you, they make a point to come over and let you know they're not ignoring you and will be over ASAP. It's always a treat to spend an evening at Big Jim's. Give it the highest recommendation.
(5)Andrea A.
This place is awesome. My fiancé and I were on the way home from Ohio. We saw the sign for Pittsburgh and decided to just take a detour. I found this place on the mytvfoodmaps app and saw it was featured on diners, driveins and dives. It's definitely in the dive category but the food is amazing. Its also not in a very commercial place so finding it might be a little hard. We ordered the wing dings to start. They're breaded fried wings. Came out quick hot so you know its fresh. My fiance ordered the open roast beef sandwich. Its topped with gravy and fries. I tried a little bit and I was really good. I ordered half a meatball hoagie. Even for a half a hoagie it was huge. My sandwich was really good too. Our total bill was $25 and we left full and comatosed. If you're in the area and want a laid back place this is definitely a place to try. The food was awesome and the service was great!
(5)Dan T.
Went to visit U of Pittsburgh with the college bound son. Have to always go to a triple D spot when I can. Out of the way, hard to find , at night. Parked in front of the neighbors house and only had to walk across the street which was great.i took a minute for safety as there were a few people out front and I wasn't sure at first glance which door to use to go inside. Inside to the left is a dinning room that we walked into. The room was soooo Very musty smelling that it was on the border of pull your shirt up to your nose to breath. Before we sat I checked the bar side and it was better. Not good but much better. The waitress was as nice as the tables were sticky. If you walked in this place with nobody around ,you would think it was abandoned for a few months. There is nothing wrong with being a Dive, but some Windex and a towel would go a long way.i could only imagine what there homes look like. Anyway we decided to stay. Good enough for Guy good enough for us. Hot open roast beef,fries, gravy was good. Lots lots of gravy on everything. I wish the beef wasn't sooo very well done but it all tasted like the gravy anyway. I would give it a 7. My son got the Reuben sandwich. He was not happy. He pulled a big chunk of fat/cartilage / something ,out of his mouth and lost interest after that. He picked at half and was not a fan of the sauerkraut. I tried it and it tasted spoiled. We took the other half to go and left it in our fridge in the hotel when we checked out of the hotel I said thank you to our waitress and left her a 25% tip because she was nice. If my son chooses this school I would never return . Just to show its not all bad.we visited Fuel and Fuddle near the college the next day for lunch. 10 out of 10. Really really good. ( and clean ,and lighted) unlike big jims.
(1)Whitley S.
The food is outstanding!!! I usually get their chicken sandwiches and fries... So amazing! It was $22 for a small pizza, cheese fries, and a whole chicken sandwich. My BF and I split it, and had a ton left over. Which isn't bad at all considering the portions. It's a dive type of place with a bar. You can eat in or take out. It's a very random place in Greenfield, but the food was so delicious! They have a menu on their website too!
(5)Matthew U.
*walks in, sets down soapbox, steps upon soapbox, clears throat* For all those people that kindly wrote a review on this place solely because you watched an episode of DDD, maybe you should have ordered exactly what was shown on the show and then left it at that. If you are going to come here because of the show, then do exactly what they did on the show and leave it at that. Don't bring down the whole place because what you ordered didn't look/taste like what was served on the show. *steps down and removes the soapbox* Now, since that is out of the way, let me move forward. Yes, this place is a little offsetting with the way it looks. It's a bit divey on the inside, well maybe more than a bit divey on the inside. That is exactly what gives this place character. It gives you the feel that you are in someones home from the 70s. TVs are around the place, tacky pictures and mirrors line the walls, and the chairs are mismatched. The servers kind of blend in a bit making it feel 70s more so. The menu, even though it looks small, takes a bit to look over. Be sure to look it over as well, you may pass up something that you really want. I opted for the open face turkey sandwich with fries. I was expecting to get a moderate amount of food as you do at other places, and I was fine by that. What I got on the other hand surely surprised me. When I saw the size of the plate, I was shocked. It was the size of a small platter, and the whole thing was covered in food. Two thick slices of bread, toasted and then topped with a heaping pile of turkey and then covered with gravy. And the fries, oh my god, the fries. They are fresh cut, on the smaller size, but still amazing. The gravy also topped these. It took me some time and determination, but I downed it all. For two meals, it cost us under $20. A meal of this caliber at any other place would definitely cost us more. Big Jim's is definitely worth getting lost in Greenfield to find a good meal. *Take out available with a fee.
(4)Jill C.
I was going to complain about the fact that no one answered the phone when I called to place a take-out order--nor did they call me back within 30 minutes; or when I got there and realized there were 11 tables (only 3 filled) and 4 waitresses--all huddled together giggling at something; or when I asked for a glass of wine while I waited for my take-out order and she said "it really won't take them long" ,,,but then I got back to my condo (in the Village--a five minute walk in a now thunderstorm) and tasted my delicious BBQ sandwich with baked beans and I forgot everything that was wrong. Maybe it was the wine.
(3)Adam J. V.
When I visit restaurants, I usually order TO GO. I also order 3 to 5 different meals, in order to objectively judge the establishments. Ordering one meal at Big Jim's is enough to feed 3 people AND THEY WILL ALL LOVE IT. One of the best reuben sandwiches outside of New York and GREAT DINNERS. If you are in Pittsburgh, skip Primanti's and go to Big Jim's.
(4)P S.
Amazing! Went there this weekend and although hard to find, was totally worth it. Food was enormous and delicious. Prices were low and the wait staff was super friendly and very helpful. We go to Pittsburgh a lot so we will def. go back.
(5)Justin M.
Anyone that doesn't know about Big Jim's, you sir, are in for a treat. I have been to this restaurant dozens of times, and every time I have been here, It's been exactly the same. When you walk into Big Jim's, you look like you're walking into an abandoned dive bar, It's not so clean, you can see the dust blowing around in the air, and there is 30 years of wear and tear, and the decor is a mix of old italian restaurant and catholic church. the tables and chairs are ugly, and usually kinda sticky. Now that's out of the way, lets talk about service. Abysmal. There is one, two servers tops in the place, and you can wait up to 20 minutes to get drinks. The food takes a bit of time as well due to the short staff, but this is standard in a dive bar/restaurant. So you're probably saying to yourself, why did you give this place 4 stars Justin? Weeeeelllll, the food is fantastic. If you get a sandwich, expect it to be so big, you have to take a second, collect yourself, and formulate a plan as to how to even get this thing in your mouth. The veal parmesan sandwich, is the size of a large dinner plate, and just stacked with fried veal (and only 11.95, seriously?!) The pizzas have so much cheese, it makes me want to weep. I have never had anything on the menu that hasn't been cheap, oversized, and crazy good. For your basic bar foods, this place is killing it. If you don't mind waiting for it. They have a short staff on at all times, but they're passing the savings on to you!
(4)Tameeka S.
We came. We ate. It was good but not the best I've had. Not a complaint just an opinion.
(3)Marcus J.
This place is a tucked away little gem in the burgh. The atmosphere is... interesting, but the food is delicious. Their white pizza is the best (with tomatoes). Their Pittsburgh salads are humongous. If you haven't made the trek to this joint in the run, you definitely should. You may find yourself taking your friends their to show it off...
(5)Melissa A.
Really disappointed by eggplant parmagian. Had no flavor and barely any sauce or cheese, looked really good until biting in. Atmosphere was terrible too, would not have minded if the food was great though.
(1)David R.
Food is pretty good. Menu is huge! It takes a while to decide what you want. Service can be fast, or slow depending on how many people are in your party, and how much food you ordered. I usually get the chicken hoodie with fries when I am there. I guarantee you that you will leave with left over, because the portions are pretty much the largest in Pittsburgh.
(4)James D.
Triple D heaven. Epitomizes dive joint. Awesome service and massive amounts of food for your money. Would eat here every day if I lived in Pittsburgh. Definitely going back. Check out my food pics of meatball hoagie and open faced hot turkey sammich. Insanely good. Seriously, stop reading and go to Big Jim's.
(5)