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Bob’s Big Boy opening Sunday
August 7th, 2009, 10:18 am · 42 Comments · posted by Nancy Luna, Staff Writer
Bob’s Big Boy will make its return to Orange County this Sunday, after exiting the region years ago.
At one point, Bob’s had at least 16 restaurants in Orange County. The new Stadium Promenade diner will be the first of at least five Bob’s Big Boy planned for Orange County.
Bob's famous Chili/Spaghetti
The restaurant opens at 7 a.m. Sunday. It will be the 13th to open in California, where the chain is expanding the brand via franchising.
The 4,600-square-foot restaurant in Orange maintains much of Bob’s old decor: checkered red, white and blue colors with booths, tables and counter seating. It will also have a “milkshake counter” for to-go orders.
Bob’s Big Boy is at the Stadium Promenade near Lazy Dog Cafe and the newly opened Prime Cut Cafe.
Address: 1701 West Katella Ave, Orange.
Tell us: If you go to Bob’s, please post your feedback here. I want to know: Is it what you expected? Did it bring back old memories or was it overrated?
Related stories:
More Bob’s Photos below:
Bob's famous Double Decker burger
This Shake Shop sign will be mounted above a milkshake to-go counter.
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If I wasn’t going to see Guy Fiere on Sunday I’d be at this opening………that double decker looks great!
Where is he going to be? Paul’s Coffee Shop right?
Guy is going to be at the Anaheim Hilton on Sunday for a So-Cal food show…………We’ve had tickets for months now……………
Love Guy…met him in May….He’s awesome..
I’m excited for Bob’s Big Boy~
My family can’t wait! We’ve always missed the one that closed in Placentia. mmmm… Hot Fudge Cake
I remember that one, on the northwest corner of Yorba Linda Blvd. and Kraemer. We used to go there, or Fiddlers Three, after football games at Bradford Stadium.
My mom says she remembers the chili spaghetti but that in her time they would put a slice of American cheese over the top rather than grated cheese. Hopefully they can still do it that way if the customer requests it.
Just looking at that picture of the hamburger brings back memories of tasting them 20+ years ago. Used to love the combo plate with the cheesebuger, fries, small salad with blue cheese dressing and Bob’s seasoning salt.
When I was a kid there was a BBB in Montebello near the 60 freeway. Dad used to take me there all the time and I LOVED it. It’s a gross Carrows now
Where exactly is this located? I want to go!
‘And yes, the Bob’s Big Boy in Diamond Bar still has Spaghetti and Chili on their menu. So, I am guessing it should still be on the new menu also.
BBB was the place to hang out back in the 60’s. Spent many hours at the one at GG Blvd and Gilbert. The spaghetti and chili was my favorite. I still try to do it at home, but it’s not the same.
Taking the family after church, we’ve Been waiting for the opening.
I remember the Bob’s on Vine just north of Hollywood Blvd. Spent many late nights there with my girls. They would say, “Daddy, please let’s go see the Big Boy! Please.”
I could almost never say no. But I don’t do that kind of work no more.
got to love that bleu cheese dressing !!!
A 2 hour wait! Not for us, some how we got seated when we walked in service & food was great. Awesome to see the jobs created for people.
We will be back Bob!
We also ate there today. The wait was an estimated 1.5 hours+ with lines of people going out the door and on to the patio. The hostess seemed DOA as they were clearly overwhelmed. We looked down at the counter area and found 2 empty seats available for immediate seating, so we ate there-total wait time 3 minutes.
Behind the counter it was absolute chaos, as the demand for shakes was in overdrive, and the amount of employees qualified to run the shake machine (or know the ingredients/definition of a shake) was 1 (supervisor) everyone else by the shake machine was just staring at each other without a clue what to do.
Overall, the experience was pretty good. We got in quick, received our order in a reasonable time, even with all of the chaos and hoopla, and the food was pretty good. For reasons stated earlier, the shake was problematic (we received it with our order) and I couldn’t get our server (Jose) to refill my coke if my life depended on it (the friggin soda machine was just a few steps from the counter) but these types of things are to be expected during a grand opening.
All in all I give them an A. We will be back (hopefully they open 1 of the 4 next ones in South OC). Thanks for bringing Bob back!
A walk from the Honda Center…. nice! Going to take advantage of that before seeing the Ducks hit the ice…. missed Bob’s Big Boy in the area!
no cherry coke, food took for ever not very good , plain jane amposhire
Love Bob’s Big Boy!! Remember the one on 17th street in Santa Ana. Our waitress was Great! Ask for Kelli!!!!
We went there yesterday before watching Julie & Julia. It was much better then my last experience at one of the LA County ones a couple years ago. It reminded me more of my childhood experiences at Bob’s. All four of us ordered the Big Boy Combo, plus we got a appetizer of Onion Rings. Total damage for 4 meals of burgers and fries, with drinks and the onion rings, just under $50. The burger was good, I’d place it near In-n-Out, the relish they put on the Big Boy is what differentiates it from a Big Mac, well that and that it’s 5oz of beef compared to the Big Macs just over 3 oz. The fries are better then those from In-N-Out, the onion rings are nothing special.
The wait staff was very attentive, but they were really busy and had lots of staff on hand, I want to see how things are going 2 months from now when all the fanfare has died down. With 5 choices (and a 6th when they fill the old Carino’s location) in the center, it could be a struggle to survive on diner food, but they are also the only restaurant there that serves breakfast. I’m cheering for them.
It was funny my mom was telling me how when she was a kid they would take the seasoned salt home with them, because they didn’t sell it.
Lastly, they have 9 different t-shirts on sell and all the designs are pretty sweet, I think I might have to buy some of them!
Wow, $50 bones for a family of four at a cheap diner? I’m sure you didn’t mean it this way but what I took from your post is that you paid $50 for In N Out.
Well it was more food then you get from In N Out, and I forgot to mention my wife got a chocolate shake as well. Plus table service is going to be more expensive then counter server.
Noooo….lol In N Out are on their own level….
*snicker** My friends and I used to take the seasoned salt too; same reason.
WOW I just took my family to the Orange B Boy and was VERY disappointed.
1st. I orderd the Big Boy combo and the size of the burger was 1/2 of what expected. I ate it in 4 bites, have they always been that small?
2nd. My wife was in the mood for bfast, so she ordered the “special French Toast breakfast”. She asked for NO meat, and her meal came on this hugh plate/skillet with only TWO slices of F-toast, THAT’s IT for $7.
3rd. My son ordered the Shrimp alfredo pasta, and in came with red sauce, and two pieces of toast. My son didn’t want to complain, so her ate it. $11.
I was hoping for his GREAT experience, and to share it with my family, and NOW I have to drive thru (In n Out) to feed my wife and myself on our way back to LF. I spent $49 with tip to have a family meal, and just can’t NOT compare this meal to other restaurants I go to.
Lastly, On my way out I spoke with a manager dressed type (??) about my meal and he could care less, and told me to fill out a comment card.
The one in either Claremont or Pomona on foothill turned into a Carrow’s also. The 80’s were the best. They had Farrell’s, Bob’s Naugels, Pup n taco.
I went on the 10th a day after grand opening…it was total chaos, I was expecting for SPECTACULAR but the food was nowhere near decent. For the price of the burger I would think my plate of food would look more appealing…instead it was on a small plate with not even a hand full of fries. Our other order the Corned Beef Sandwich…i wouldn’t even eat if it was given to me for free…the meat was so dry, it seemed like it was left out for hours. I don’t know maybe because it was really busy but I don’t think I would ever go back. Just my experience and opinion :0)
Stopped by yesterday afternoon, but it looked way too busy. Went to Chili’s instead. (Their $20 for 2 deal is a pretty good deal!) I forgot how busy restaurants are on Sunday afternoons. I don’t have kids yet, so I’m not used to hear kids cry during lunch. I’m hoping to try BBB soon.
You know, my memories are all childhood based, and as a kid a chessburger, fries and a chocolate shake were heaven.. I think we ate here becuase you could always find one on those long driving vacations we took and it was a low cost , air conditioned ,sit down place to get out of the car. Now many years later, I am sure my more advanced pallet, will not be so exited. Many of the reviews were expecting nirvana, but it’s based on childhood memories.
I grew up in Glendale and went to Bob’s my whole life. Grew up with the Bob Wian son Have been to several Bob’s Big Boys that have recently opened. The only one that makes a Big Boy hamburger the correct way is the one on Winchester in Temecula. It is excellent! The owner grew up at Bob’s Big Boy too.
At the Orange BB the hamburger was not too good. The bun was dry and it just didn’t taste like the real Big Boy hamburger. Will not go back. The one in Long Beach was terrible too. The bun was over cooked and crispy instead of just warm.
Try the one in Temecula next time you are out there.
Aren’t the owners of the Orange BB Indian or Pakistani? I love Indian food and there are some great restaurants in OC. But I don’t equate Indians with American food plain and simple.
What’s the point, there are number of burger joints owned by Asians, doesn’t mean they can’t cook something correctly.
No, I never said they couldn’t cook something correctly. What did I say? I said that I don’t think of Indians as the purveyors of American food. I suppose you’ll want to read racism into that, but that’s your problem. Is it any different if you had some Swedes (from Sweden in the US) running a Mexican restaurant or some Germans (from Germany in the US) running a Chinese restaurant?
And by the sounds of the reviews here on the ORANGE location, I could be correct.
I’m just saying, what is the problem with someone of a different nationality owning a restaurant. It’s not like the recipes aren’t laid out via the franchise agreement. I would think the ownership has less to do with how the food tastes than the person cooking in.
A burger is pretty standard fare regardless of who owns the place or cooks it though.
Dan, come on. Seriously? I know we live in a much more open-minded liberal thinking (not politically) world than we used to. Myself included. But this is taking it too far. Nationality can and does make a difference on how you would or could make another nationality’s food. And there’s been a lot of complaints about the Orange BB location and so I suggested that perhaps the people running it (because American food is not their native taste or kitchen) may be having a problem getting the taste, texture, and consistency right.
I could say how hard is it to make mole? I mean there’s a million recipes out there right? But if it’s not something my palette grew up on or traditional food in my home growing up, is it a stretch to think that if I started a restaurant that serves mole and no one liked it that it could be that I don’t know how to make it because it’s not a food I am accustomed to?
Craig are your so ignorant…why dont you tell chef Ramsy his italian food sucks since hes not italian, tell emeral that besides latin food everything else doesnt taste right, tell martha stewart to stay with her american pies and burgers…ethnic background of an owner of a restaurant has nothing to do with the food. Do you know that 99% of the food you eat isnt made by a cook with the same orign as the food? Owner hires chef, chef cooks food…do you realize that just because someone isnt a european american doesnt doesnt mean they have lived and grown up here longer than you have all mighty ignorant Craig? Did you even think that perhaps some non european people have been born and raised here in the US longer than you have been born and raised in the US?
Well, we thought you would do that for us since you seem to be so upset about it. And you should know that typing in caps is like shouting and people that shout are usually hard of hearing.
I always thought that people that shout were idiots….
sorry haha…’spectacular’ it was just disappointing since I heard so much about it…
Tuna - we weren’t commenting on your caps. It was a poster that Nancy deleted that was ranting in ALL CAPS.