Looking for a London restaurant that serves delicious food while also providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere? Big Easy, Covent Garden might be your answer.
Finding a good restaurant in London is not hard, OpenTable is filled with 100s of options guaranteed to get your tastebuds tingling, all of which are easily bookable directly through their website.
But when it comes to authentic tasting American BBQ food, it is not as easy as it sounds to get right.
And I am not just talking about standard Burger offerings, I am talking smoked briskets and cajun spices that wouldn’t be out of place in Memphis or New Orleans. Crab and Lobster dishes are served with cocktails that take you back to sundowner evenings along the Gulf Coast.
Big Easy currently has 3 restaurants across London, however, the Covent Garden restaurant is their flagship, as well as the biggest. Located in the heart of the theatre district, its discreet exterior can easily be missed.
However, upon entering, you can see no expense has been spared in creating an all-American welcoming environment – especially when it comes to the impressive 9-meter bar filled with just about every bottle you can think of. Happy hour is served every Monday to Friday from 4 pm til 7 pm inclusive of a wide range of cocktails – however, it has to be said, unfortunately, their alcoholic milkshakes do need a slight bit of work, in my opinion.
Despite its spacious interior, the industrial yet warm vibes of the restaurant still manage to provide space for both cosy intimate date nights as well as large gatherings. Daily live bands also provide a further true American atmosphere throughout the evening.
Now for the important part, the food.
It is safe to say, while vegetarian meals are available, the focus of Big Easy is on the meat – after all, the name themselves a ‘Bar.B.Q and Crabshack’. All Briskets and Pork Shoulder spend 16-18 hours smoking in-house to ensure a ‘Slow and Low’ cooking experience that guarantees the tenderest piece of meat.
Furthermore, all lobsters are flown in from Canada by Air Canada three times a week, ensuring the freshest and most authentic is always served – a rarity for a busy, central London restaurant.
Alongside the freshness and work which clearly goes into the food served here, I was also impressed by the price, with the average meal with sides costing around £19, for a very generous portion.
We took advantage of the daily special on our visit – ‘The Big Pig Gig’ – unlimited BBQ and a 2-pint stein brew for just £25 per person – A platter of BBQ pork ribs, Carolina pulled pork & BBQ chicken, all served with ‘Slaw, BBQ beans & a fresh baked golden cornbread muffin. Despite a very generous offering to start with, the staff was more than attentive to replenishing any meat once finished.
We were extremely impressed.
As we were there, the restaurant filled with many other diners, London locals and tourists alike. Therefore, while drop-ins are welcome, I would definitely take advantage of advance booking.
These various offers continue throughout the week, ending on Steak, Lobster, and wine night on a Thursday for just £29.00 per person. A night we will be definitely heading back for at some point.
As a couple who have spent a lot of time in various parts of the United States, we are big fans of the food. However, far too often, many restaurants opt to pass off a simple burger as American cuisine. At Big Easy, you can tell so much more has gone into selecting their menu as well as the execution.
It is impressive and as restaurants go in this part of the city, it is not one to be missed.