Big Skillet Restaurant & Pancake House — Restaurant in Elgin

Took the Fiancee here, for brunch. Ordered the steak and eggs. The yokes were like water (old, stale eggs), the steak was small and very chewy. I opted to send the food back, uneaten. When I sent the plate back, the waitress- Veronica- got very snotty with me. She was rude to The Fiancee, as well. The owner/manager, George, brought the plate over to me, and demanded that I explain myself. When I began to tell him all the things that were wrong, he simply walked away in a huff. I told him I would not be returning, and he stated that he was glad; that I was doing him a favor. The cashier was likewise very rude and cool to us. I used to manage restaurants. I've bussed, cooked, waited, hosted, washed dishes, managed, etc. I know food, how to cook it, how to serve it, and how to manage. This place is a mess. Attitudes all the way around, and that starts at the top. When the owner lets his staff know it's OK to be rude to customers, that's going to become Standard Operating Procedure. Very toxic place. The owners of this place also own a few other restaurants in the area, and they are extremely territorial people: their attitude is that you are privileged to eat in their restaurants. That would be fine if the food was good. It's generally not. It's more passable and institutional. But they give you a lot of it, so people keep returning. I will not go back, and will not reccomend this restaurant to anyone. Not unless They do some upgrading in customer service, and let the cooks know it's not OK to serve stale, old eggs and tough, chewy steaks. DO...

I wish they don’t even have 1 star option. I wish they had a 0 star, this restaurant doesn’t even deserve 1 star. Worst restaurant in town! Went there for Sunday brunch with family. The minute we walked in the ladies working there had a such bad attitude and bad vibe. Our server looked like she is in a bad mood and does t want to serve. When we asked her for water and coffee she gave us such a light sigh like she is not happy we are there. she came around asking if we were ready to order, gave her the order and then asked her a simple question what they are famous for as it was our first time there she looked at us like as if why we asked her the question. Then my husband asked her if they give bread she brought it out to us as if she did us a big favor. We asked her for straws for water she said I can only do so much at one time. The time we went was around 1pm and they were not busy at all, if they were busy I’d understand! Overall never ever will we ever go back to this restaurant. My husband ordered a omelette which was around $21.00 and couple thing she told her to put in they didn’t add it to the omelette. No where the price was written on the menu or she answered us when we asked about the price. My sausage dropped into the server tray she picked it up by her bare hands and put it in my plate. Horrible restaurant, horrible customer service, just...

This review is difficult because I know that this place has been here for a long time and the food is great and they have many great staff members that work here so it’s nothing to do with the staff. But the lack of leadership and management here is something very different. For starters, it’s not very clean in the kitchen. And the way service operates through dinner service is completely over rushed, very sloppy and very poorly executed. Now with that being said it’s very different being on the outside and not really seeing what’s going on behind closed doors. But for one we have cooks smoking and not washing there hands and while on smoke breaks there in the back with the hands in there pants scratching them selfs and going right back into the kitchen to handle food and food prep. There’s a big lack of organization and just simple expectations that aren’t being met daily. Busses need better training and they need to be better with keeping things clean just all around. After all it’s the people that keep coming back that keep places like this alive and running and it’s their hard heard money that’s pumping the heart of this restaurant. So it’s not asking much to keep the environment cleaned for the guest and family’s that stay loyal to...