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Big Mama's Rib Shack

1453 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104-2302
626-797-1792
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Ranked #172 of 330 restaurants in Pasadena
4.0 of 5 stars 9 Reviews
Price range: INR563 - INR1,126
Cuisines: American, Barbecue
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9 reviews from our community

77% Recommend
    3
    4
    0
    1
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Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Denver, Colorado
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
“We enjoyed this experience”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 March 2012

Big Mama's on a Saturday night was a good experience. A jazz band played until 9pm and they were very good. I had the spare ribs ($14.95) and the wife ordered the smothered chicken over rice ($10.25). The ribs weren't consistent, even on the same plate. Some were dry and others cooked just right. The BBQ sauce was just okay.... More

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Santa Monica, California
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Great Food - Low Key, Casual, Fun!”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 31 October 2011
1
person found this review helpful

Just used our Groupon at Big Mama's and we had a GREAT time and ate a great deal of food. Let's get right to the good stuff... PROS: *Liked the ambiance of the place - tables to one side, booths on the other, relaxed and casual atmosphere - very inviting. *They know how to use cornmeal! [This may seem minor... More

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Pasadena, California
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
26 helpful votes 26 helpful votes
“Only Go Here If You Have 3 Hours to Spend”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 October 2011

When Big Mama's Rib Shack moved into town, we were so excited. Until we actually went there for dinner. This place has the absolute worst service ever. It takes forever to get seated and with a menu. Then it takes forever to place your order. Then it takes over an hour to get your food after you order it. And... More

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See 9 more reviews by Leslie H for Pasadena
Top Contributor
85 reviews 85 reviews
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“It takes a lot of effort to make really good BBQ. Big Mama's makes NO effort to produce eatable BBQ. My Tri Tip; if...”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 November 2009

It takes a lot of effort to make really good BBQ. Big Mama's makes NO effort to produce eatable BBQ. My Tri Tip; if that's what it was; seemed to have been cooked a few days prior, stored in the frig; taken out the day I came in, sliced on a deli slicer, re-heated and sauced with vinegared catsup with... More

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superyogi
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“AWESOME...”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 August 2008

AWESOME... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
A TripAdvisor reviewer on Facebook
“the food is delicious”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 December 2007

the food is delicious More

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A TripAdvisor reviewer on Facebook
“Awwww yeah! Damn delicious”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 December 2007

Awwww yeah! Damn delicious More

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La Crescenta CA
1 review
“Tender and Delicious”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 August 2007

We have eaten here twice and had them cater to our family outing once. The food is delicious and enjoyed by all. The ribs are tender and not over done. The sauce appealed to both the kids as well as the seniors. It is tasty on the sweet side versus the spicy side. The potatoes, salads everything was hot and... More

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los angeles
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
21 helpful votes 21 helpful votes
“This place rocks!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 August 2005

Found it by mistake, never even knew it was there. Great ribs and soul food, whenever we have a party (like 4th of July) we order takeout and everyone loves it. It is clean and quite large so not usually a wait. The cornbread and trimmings are yummy and you'll always leave full. More

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See 5 more reviews by comettrip for Pasadena

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Big Mama's Rib Shack
1453 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91104-2302
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