If you are weighing this against another breakfast spot in Nashville, do yourself a favor and put your phone down and head here as soon as possible

This is a true gem in Nashville, look no further than Big Al's Deli! This place is the epitome of down-home, no-frills dining with some of the best comfort food you'll ever taste, and it absolutely delivers on flavor. I have been here multiple times but have never had their shrimp and grits until today! This dish alone is worth the visit. The grits are creamy and perfectly seasoned, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that pairs flawlessly with the savory, juicy shrimp. Every bite is packed with flavor and warmth, like a hug in a bowl. The shrimp are cooked to perfection, tender but with that nice bite, and seasoned just right. There's this rich, buttery sauce that pulls everything together with a good kick, just enough to keep you craving another bite.

Both Al and his food are amazing. My fiancé and I had the shrimp and grits and the fried chicken sandwich. Both were amazing. I like the fried chicken sandwich a little more. But they were both really tasty. The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood. It's almost as if you're going to eat in his kitchen. I would recommend you come here and try it out.

This place is legitimate southern cooking. We stopped on a whim and thank goodness because it was the best meal we had in Nashville all weekend. My husband ordered The Big All breakfast and it was huge! The bacon was cooked to perfection. The potatoes were perfectly seasoned, and the biscuit was fluffy and dripping with butter. I ordered the biscuit, bacon, egg, and cheese with a side of grits. Again, that biscuit! So delicious! The grits are the best I've had at any restaurant. Maybe better than my dad's grits, which is quite the compliment. Big Al and his son AJ were so fun to chat with while they prepared our meal. This place feels like you are guests in their home. Cozy, casual, and absolutely inviting. I am only sad that I am a visitor passing through. If I lived here, this would be my daily spot for sure. Get some Big Al's while you can. And, please say hi to Al and AJ for me!

Big Al and crew were very welcoming! The good is delicious! The greens were the best ever and the homemade biscuits are too die for! He gave the boys a hot wheels car guess that his thing. They were CB losing doin after we left so he sent us home with the leftover biscuits and honey! Out of tye wsy but worth it!!

Oh, my gosh! What a find! I felt like I just had lunch with family! And, I guess I did. The food was fantastic! My husband got the chicken and waffles with a side of greens. The chicken was moist and flavorful. And, the waffles were as good as ones I've had in Belgium. Fluffy and sweet. I ordered the shrimp and grits. They were amazing. But, too spicy for me. So, I switched plates with hubby. He's from Texas and loves spicy food. He pronounced them as the best he's ever had. The best part of lunch was Big Al. He sat down and chatted with everyone in the diner. We bonded over our love of NE sports teams.

Let's start with the phone call we made to get clarity on their business hours. AJ was kind from the first interaction over the phone. He explained they had altered hours because his father was out due to a knee surgery. They closed at 2pm we arrived roughly at 1pm. We pulled up in a residential neighborhood to the restaurant. I thought that was pretty dope! Inside it's like going into someone's living room and enjoying a home cooked meal. AJ was at the register, he explained we could sit wherever we wanted and gave us menus. He engaged with us asking about where we were from and what brought us to town. Told us some of his menu favorites and what paired well together. Overall the customer service was a 10/10. We ordered: Note - Proteins came with two sides and a hot cake. Meal 1: Fried catfish, okra rice, and apples. Meal 2: Fried catfish, skillet beans, and green beans. Catfish (10/10) - fried to perfection. The catfish was also seasoned to perfection. Likely the best fried catfish either of us ever had. You're not mad at getting one piece because the size of the fish is more than enough. Honestly, anything more would be too much. Also, it came with a tartar sauce that was like a miniature coleslaw. Crunchy, not too mayonnaisey. The perfect addition. Okra Rice (8/10) - New territory. I tried it. I really enjoyed it. Gave me Spanish rice vibes. Apples (10/10) - sweet with notes of cinnamon, and crispy-tender if that makes sense. Skillet Beans (8.5/10) - they were like multidimensional baked beans. They were sweet, savory and multi-layered from a texture perspective with the onion in it giving it a nice crunch. Green Beans (6/10) - weren't the star of the dish, they could've been seasoned a little better. A bit vinegary but I know that's some people's preference. Overall they were a solid side. Hot cakes (10/10) - basically a pancake but made with cornmeal. It was sweet, crispy, and the cornmeal adds an element of gritty-ness. No additions are needed like syrup or butter, these babies carry their own weight. They were so good we had to ask for two more!!!

Big Al's is not just for Breakfast! I've visited Big Al's several times for breakfast, and i have always had a fresh and delicious meal. Recently, my friend and I visited for lunch. I ordered the Shrimp & Grits and my friend ordered the Pork Loin special. I appreciated seeing the bacon and shrimp being cooked with the sauce for my grits. My meal was made to order and it was delicious. The smoky red color of the sauce and the smokiness from the bacon made this meal so delicious. The grits were perfectly cooked and there were lots of shrimp included. I also enjoyed the corn pancake that accompanied my grits. It was perfectly cooked. I would definitely order the shrimp and grits again! My friend received way too much food for him to eat. There were 3 large, juicy slices of pork loin that he raved about. He also had an order of greens, white beans, and a corn pancake. He took half of that meal home and told me he had a wonderful dinner. The food here is always fresh and tasty, whether you visit for breakfast or lunch. I highly recommend Big Al's for their delicious food.

11/18/23: The reason I had to walk across a highway after breakfast. BIg Al and Miss Andrea are so personable and welcoming. He is at the grill cooking up deliciousness. She takes the orders and handles the flow of customers. My travel buddy suggested this spot I'm not a big fan of "regular breakfast items, eggs, pancakes etc so when I saw the menu had alternate items such as Porkchops and shrimps and grits I quickly called. Big Al himself picked up and stated he had one more and do I want him to hold it. Heck yes was my response. Upon arrival he asked were you the one that called I said yes he replied you look as you sound New York...lol. Folks please note it is a small establishment in the event you need to wait it will have to be outside. Once it was our turn we ordered the Porkchops...folks the "one pork chop" he saved was 3 huge pieces. It came with potatoes, eggs, and a biscuit. We also ordered the shrimp and grits with crab, biscuits with sausage gravy and cinnamon roll. Portions were huge although we shared we still each had leftovers to take. The sausage gravy for the biscuits had chunks of sausage, it was well seasoned and spicy we have like 4 biscuits. As our hotel was not far about a 10 minute walk we decided to walk instead of calling for the hotel shuttle that dropped us off. When in Nashville this a MUST but plan accordingly as its first come first serve. It's basically similar to mom and pop establishment so do not look for fine dining the cups plates etc mismatch which I think adds to the character. So happy we partaked and happy to say we dined at Big Al's.