Big Ben Tavern — Restaurant in Sugar Land

I am a resident of Sugar Land and have been to the Big Ben Tavern in Sugar Land about 4 or 5 times. The first 3 times, I sat at the bar with my wife.

The last two times I have been there, I ventured to sit at a table with my wife. We have had the same waitress both times. The first time she attended to us, she came and got our order and then stood and talked to what appeared to be her friend for fifteen minutes. Then, when she was good and ready, she brought us a beer. We drank that beer and waited 20 minutes to order another one. She was engaged in what appeared to be another riveting conversation with her friend. So, we decided to change seats to the bar. She came by about 30 minutes after we ordered the food, looked at us with a miffed expression, and put our food on the bar and walked away.

Last night (4/26/14), we sat out on the patio, and much to my dismay it was the same girl. She came out and greeted us fairly quickly, I asked for a menu, and she brought, quickly. And then she disappeared, or more correctly, we disappeared. Though we sat there looking at her, waiving or trying to get her attention, she must have walked by us about 5 times and completely ignored our existence. My wife finally went in to inform her that we were ready to order. She came out with a “what’s your problem” look on her face and took our order. The beers came out a while later – 10 minutes maybe. Then we became ultra invisible – she didn’t even approach the table again. And until a bearded man brought out some food we had ordered, we had no contact with bar service. He was awesome and asked us if we needed anything else, and we said we needed a beer because we had become invisible to our waitress. He responded by bringing a beer out in 45 seconds – lighting quick. He also told us that the Princess was working alone last night and that’s why it took so long. I gazed across the patio and through the glass to the inside and it was pretty empty last night – the bearded is just a nice guy, he’s trying to stick up for the Princess.

It was bad. The couple next to us gave up and started ordering their beers themselves from the bar.

And I really wasn’t surprised at how empty your bar is, given the service. It’s unfortunate that your waitress just doesn’t give a damn, because the beer is very good, the bartenders are good to excellent, but the service staff is plain bad.

I don’t know if I can stomach going there again though I really want to because my desire is to tell the Princess how many ways she is frustrating and useless but that’s just not cool. So, I just probably won’t be back. Not a good way to open a bar, though.

I give 3 stars because of the average between the beer/bartender/manager (5 stars) and the wait staff (1 star).

Update, went again on May 1, 2015, the service was even worse than before. My bet is that this place fails...

🍻 Vibe & Atmosphere • Classic Sports Pub Ambience: With around 25 high‑def flat-screen TVs, a pool table, darts, and a digital jukebox, it’s a lively spot for catching games or hanging out with friends . • Casual & Energetic: Both indoor and outdoor seating are available, giving it a relaxed, welcoming feel . • Live Music & Jukebox: Some guests note the presence of live music and an on‑site jukebox that add to the vibrant, neighborhood‑pub experience .

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🥘 Food & Drinks • Global‑Inspired Menu: Items range from classic burgers and wings to hummus, paneer tikka, tacos, and Scotch eggs—highlighting an eclectic, fusion approach . • Top‑Tier Burgers: The signature “Big Ben Burger” is frequently praised as a standout dish . • Wings Galore: Multiple sauces—think Garlic Lemon Pepper, Mango Chipotle, Peanut Butter & Jelly—give the wings a creative edge; and there’s a Monday half‑price deal that regulars love . • Tap & Bottle Selection: They offer a solid range of beers on tap, plus well-crafted cocktails (e.g. mango michelada), appealing to craft‑beer fans .

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👥 Service • Warm, Approachable Staff: Frequent praise for attentive servers—names like Paloma, Jackie, Haya, and Nicole often come up for delivering friendly, personalized sales . “Nicoele and Haya are fantastic. Friendly, attentive and makes the visit very enjoyable.”  • Consistent Experience: Both locals and first‑time visitors appreciate the solid service, even if the friendliness sometimes varies .

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👍 Highlights & Pros • Sophisticated yet relaxed sports bar. • Delicious burger lineup. • Inventive wings and global‑fusion bites. • Strong beer and cocktail offerings. • Friendly, reliable service. • Good vibe for game nights and casual hangouts.

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👎 Considerations • Some menu items (like fried mac bites) have received mixed reviews   . • A few customers say the service can occasionally be less warm—it’s not a widespread issue . • If you’re aiming for a quiet dinner, the bustling setup may feel a little loud during busy hours or during sports broadcasts.

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📝 Final Take

Big Ben Tavern delivers a lively, fun, and appetizing experience for those in the Sugar Land area. It balances the energy of a sports bar with the charm of a neighborhood tavern. With standout burgers, creative wings, and a solid drink menu, it’s an ideal spot for catching a game, grabbing relaxed dinner, or enjoying a casual night out. The service is mostly warm and engaging, making repeat visits appealing. If you’re in the mood for comfort foods with a twist and a vibrant setting, Big Ben Tavern is a...

Okay...My daughter and I planned a late lunch with libations after a long day. I mentioned, let's go to a place that WILL have Guinness and the liquor I wanted - she agreed and said let's go. She wanted to go somewhere else but kindly supported me.

So let me ask... If you were to go buy a car from a car dealer you would expect them to have a cars right? Well at a bar, BIG BEN TAVERN, you would expect them to have the liquor and beer that they say they have. Right?

Well... Have you ever heard the excuse, we've been busy and we ran out. So... why not drink something you don't want? Yep, I've heard it before from poorly managed or customer manipulative bars. I don't go there anymore. Mind you it's two days from St. Patrick's Day and the BIG BEN Tavern is out of Guinness on a weekday! Wouldn't have been so bad if the bartender wouldn't have said, "the same Mr. Smith?" and proceeded to take my daughter's order for wine. I wondered why he "dilly dallied" around and poured my daughter's wine then proceeded to give me half a bad poor of Guinness. He then suggested other liquor. It must be a normal thing that many of my friends warned me about; I should have listened. I saw this happen to others a couple times on previous occasions. I'm glad I noted them and didn't budge on the suggestion. Yep, was charged the $6.50 for wine she didn't drink.

Believe me, my family and I hoping for the best - we wanted a UK style local family pub to frequent.

So... beware of bait and switch - Oops we are out, but we have this other and it's only a little bit more. I wonder what they will run out of on St. Patricks's day. ☘

Let me know if things change to the better, I like to see...