Ricky's All Day Grill - Prince George — Restaurant in Prince George

When my girlfriend mentioned that this restaurant had only 3.5 stars on Google, I was tentative to say the least. The lack of customers that evening also appeared to me as a red flag. But rest assured, for we were pleasantly surprised by the meal that we shared. The establishment itself, in terms of atmosphere, was what I've come to expect from Bar and Grill-type restaurants. Ambient lighting, an open bar, three TV's streaming some home improvement show from the Cable era of television. Everything was clean and orderly, and the waitress was setting up napkins and cutlery at each table on our arrival. The cuisine itself, the main focus of any restaurant, was also more than adequate. Other large Bar and Grill chains such as Boston Pizza and Mr. Mikes tend to have a sort of twang to their food, like how leaving fresh dill in a fridge gives all the produce therein a certain hint of disgust; Ricky's did not have such a twang. Her Rigatoni Rose was creamy and savoury, as is to be expected from restaurant rigatoni -- nothing outstanding, but nothing I wouldn't order again. And my Zorba the Greek wrap arrived in a surprisingly large portion. I had expected, perhaps, a generic salad-type wrap, no larger than an average tortilla, with some grill marks on the sides. This is thankfully not what I received. What I received instead was a massive and thick tortilla that must have been an entire square foot when unfolded, grilled all the way through and filled with a gooey, cheezy, tsaziki concoction, fresh out the oven, swimming with chunks of chicken and fresh vegetables. The tomato soup alongside was uniquely light and savoury, served with a classy flourish in the form of an R drizzled on the surface like cream on a coffee at a hipster cafe. We ordered a mamosa as well, the Sunrise one. While smaller than expected, it was a bright and effervescent drink, worthy of the sunny disposition its name implies, and I felt no lack from the quantity. The prices, too, were decent. We are students, my girlfriend and I, so having a meal wherein no item exceeded 20 dollars was a priority for us. Ricky's checked this box as well. What more can I say? Our food was served in a timely manner, the waitress was kind to us, and we had a great time all around. We will be returning here...

If I could give zero stars on the dinner food here, I would. Before I begin, this review has nothing to do with the waitress. She was awesome, unfortunately my positive experience ended with her. This is my third bad experience with this location, It is unlikely that I will give Ricky's another chance.

I ordered the Ginger Chicken Bowl, no onions. The dish came with onions, two different kinds of onions. I sent the order back, requesting no onions this time. It took a long time, but the order came back out, most of the rest of my table had finished eating. It was obvious, they just picked through and took out the onions. Even the waitress said, 'It looks a little less onion-y'. There was WAY too much sauce, and definitely: still onions in the dish. At this point I was starving, so I ate some, but honestly I didn't eat most of it. I was charged full price for the meal.

The last time I went here during the summer, it was a similar experience, that was the photo I attached. I ordered a beef rib meal, which was very expensive. What came out definitely wasn't a rib, it looked and smelled like dog food. The potatoes were definitely from a box, and the veggies were bland and overcooked. I did not touch that plate.

My daughter loves the breakfast food here, that's the only reason we came. We'll just go somewhere else.

I am very upset, and exceedingly frustrated. Do yourself a favour and skip...

Let me start by saying this: This was possibly the biggest plate of breakfast I've ever ordered at a restaurant, and trust me, I've seen things. It was a massive, glorious edible mountain.

Now, for the chaotic details that make this review honest. While this plate was physically overwhelming, there were some... 'creative' cooking decisions. My scrambled eggs were lukewarm yet somehow also burned. They were clearly not cooked at the same time as everything else on the plate—they existed in their own special time-space continuum. The sausages were also slightly undercooked for my liking, but hey, maybe they were just al dente for the regional palate.

BUT. Here’s the punchline: Everything else was great. The bacon, the hashbrowns, the toast—all solid. More importantly, the server was absolutely BOMB. She handled the sheer volume of my order, the minor culinary anomalies, and my existential morning dread with pure grace. She was so excellent that she still got a full tip, because the sheer effort and size of the meal, coupled with her awesome service, made this an unforgettable (and hilarious) five-star experience.

Go for the food mountain, stay for the great service, and maybe just stick to the fried eggs. You won't...