Big Jim's 395 Grill — Restaurant in Vista

My young daughters and I went into Big Jim's for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful day for sitting out back on their shaded and very clean patio. The atmosphere was very nice upon entering and we loved the patio, but decided to move inside so they could look at the gorgeous butterfly photos on the wall. We ordered a kids quesadilla that ended up being big enough to share, but was so tasty, they didn't want to! It came with homemade potato chips that were the best I've ever had! I ordered a chef salad and it was HUGE! It was like a work of art! I had to take pictures of it next to my daughter, so you can see how big it is! I was so happy with the size of it, because every ingredient was so fresh and delicious, I was super excited to have enough left to share AND have leftovers. I would definitely recommend getting the whole salad for yourself so you can do this too! No sharing, no "half salad", just do a whole so you get seconds, because it's that good, you'll want it for yourself. Haha! I also ordered a side of fries after putting in my initial order, and they came out fast, HOT, perfectly seasoned and slightly crispy. PERFECT. Fries are a huge thing for me at a restaurant, and they passed that test! Big Jim came out to ask how things were, and he was very kind and pleasant to talk to. His wife Jill was working as well, and she was also a sweetheart and very attentive and thoughtful. The restrooms, restaurant, and patio were SPOTLESS. They also had coloring books and crayons for my kids and were so gracious about how messy and loud they ended up getting (😬). We even met another family while there and became friends! Thank you, Jim and Jill, for welcoming us to your place! We will definitely be regulars now, and I've already been telling my friends! I literally can't wait to go back and try more of their...

The only thing those Burger King Chicken fries remind me of are Big Jim’s one and only Pickle fries. You may have had pickle chips all over the south and even a handful of places out here, but I’ve never had pickle fries anywhere but here. Lets face it spears are the best ways to eat pickles, why not for fried pickles. Chips are great, but they are harder to batter, and harder to keep that batter crunchy.

Speaking of chips, their homemade kind are like little small batch old school kettle kind with supreme crunchy, hot hair thin like lays, no no, about halfway between that and tortilla chips. Freshly salted. These 2 almost steal the show from the sandwiches.

Service is great, they have a large menu and don’t be put off by the price, once you see the portions you won’t feel bad. It’s a hair higher than many sandwich deli’s, but I’ve seen quite a few people not be able to finish their salads. I love the butter they use to golden the bread on their tuna melt. I wish they carried some capicola or other true Italian meats besides genoa salami. Turkey on squaw is kind of the standard for size. Daily specials. Homemade 1,000 island dressing is excellent. I recommend greek simply for value.

I haven’t been there for breakfast yet, but if the salads and sandwiches are of any indication you will be more than filled up. Staff is very friendly and you’ll be able to catch the owners here on a regular basis.

Chili is beefy, beany and thick. The chili cheese fries are excellent due to the crisp fries and fresh ingredients. They are very generous with the red onions so be careful on all their items.

It’s a local café with diner qualities. It’s one of the top deli spots in the area with tons of offerings. Hours are not the greatest. Come for the chips and fries (both pickle and regular) and stay for the...

I used to be a regular at Big Jim's when it was new, as I used to work directly across the street and would grab lunch here almost daily. I hadn't been here in years, but my fiance asked me to take him somewhere for lunch and a sandwich sounded lovely. For whatever reason, Big Jim's came to mind and I'm so glad it did! Their food is just as excellent as it was all those years ago. My fiance is also a USMC Vet and was very appreciative of all the patriotic decor and loves to support Vet-owned businesses! Fiance had the French Dip and I had the Turkey sandwich with avocado. Everything is so fresh and such great quality. Also, Big Jim's is the only place I know that consistently ensures the avocado is evenly spread throughout the entire sandwich and not a pathetic 4 small slices. Thank you for the reliably great service and delicious food!...