The Big O - Coleraine

This has to be the worst café experience I've ever had. Upon entering and sitting down, I had to later ask if I could place an order as I was completely ignored. When I finally ordered, I was told I had to pay in advance. After waiting for 35 minutes without any sign of my food, I had to ask the waitress how much longer it would be. She seemed indifferent and went to check on the order, loudly announcing to the kitchen how much longer for table 3. I still had to wait an additional 10 minutes before my food finally arrived. The whole process took 45 minutes from ordering to eating, which was unbearable. Although the food was okay, the service was absolutely terrible. Unless you have hours to waste, I suggest avoiding this place. I will never be returning.

When in before 12 for lunch, handed a menu and order was taken shortly after, I ordered a fry from the menu, after about 40 mins I had to ask how much longer, it arrived about 5 minutes later, the food was fine, but waiting that long, won't be doing it again

I first started frequenting this restaurant for coffee while I was in school in the late 70s and early 80s. It offered a more relaxed atmosphere compared to Dixon's, which was a refreshing change for boarders looking for a break from the norm. I continued to visit in my 20s whenever I was home, as their cooked breakfasts were fried in dripping and delicious, filling me up for the entire day at an unbeatable value. However, on a recent visit, it seemed like the restaurant had changed ownership. The quality of the Ulster Fry had declined, with some items being grilled instead of fried, which was disappointing. The service was lacking, mirroring the taste of the food. Despite this, I decided to give it another chance just before Christmas. The restaurant was nearly empty during lunchtime, and the waitress appeared unenthusiastic as I placed my order, requesting my coffee to accompany the meal. Surprisingly, I was asked to pay upfront, which was new and unusual. The cooked breakfast arrived looking mediocre, and I had to inquire about the missing fried egg hidden under a pile of other ingredients. There was also a strong chemical smell emanating from the plate, indicating a lack of proper rinsing during dishwashing. Although tempted to send it back, I decided to eat as I was hungry and didn't want to deal with the unfriendly waitress. The food was bland, and the advertised black and white pudding were disappointing. Overall, it seemed like the staff had given up, leading to a disappointing dining experience. I also felt like the staff took advantage of customers once they had paid. The previous time I tried the Sizzling Sausage, none of the cooked breakfast was fried, and when I asked about it, I received no satisfactory explanation. Therefore, I will not be returning and will be searching for a new cafe for my occasional indulgence.

We waited a hour and a half before getting our food. Only 1 lady was waiting on tables. Felt sorry for her. They make you pay first otherwise we would of left. Food was ok,bit cold as was the cafe itself, had to put my coat on again. They should concentrate on serving the customers out front rather then online orders. They dont seem well enough equipped to do both so one or the other if they want to keep their customers happy. Wont go back again.

The restaurant was uncomfortably cold, so we had to keep our coats on while dining. We waited nearly an hour for our food, only to receive it cold when it finally arrived. When I mentioned to the staff that my food was cold, I overheard them telling someone else, "Apparently the food's cold." This lack of concern for customer satisfaction was disappointing. We would have left, but were required to pay upfront. Needless to say, we will not be returning and will not be recommending this restaurant to anyone.