Big Earl’s Greasy Eats

I did not meet Big Earl, but we were met with very friendly and helpful staff, a great lunch menu and super tasty malts! We stopped for lunch on a fairly busy day but still had no problem with getting our order out on time. It is as it’s advertised — a greasy spoon — but a pretty darn good one and I would go back when in the area again!

I’ll be the first to admit that their menu is little more than «Grease,» «Sugar,» and «Fried Greasy Sugar,» but it’s hard to knock a place that just knows what it does best. The burgers are always big and juicy, with a little je né sais quoi spice on them that really brings out the flavor. The fries are the great, though occasionally a little on the mushy side. The killer, however, are their shakes and malts. I will go to the restaurant El Encanto just across the street, have great Mexican food, and save room for a Big Earl’s chocolate malt. It’s that’s good.

Great greasy spoon for eats n drinks. Breakfast is especially good! Service can be a little on the slow side so plan ahead on time. If you’re up here, you’re probably not in a hurry anyway. But, do t get the knickers twisted if it takes a while.

The food is really great, especially their milkshakes. It’s a great place to come with friends, even large groups of people and the outdoor patio is a very fun place to hang out. You should definitely come if you’re visiting Cave Creek.

This is probably my favorite burger place of all time. It is a great place for burgers. Really great staff. I been coming here for a long time. Highly recommend. The place itself has great décor.

Love love love this place!!! My favorite burger is the blue cheese burger and you’ve got to order one of their milk shakes. They make a fantastic chocolate malt shake with a shot of espresso. OMG heaven!!! Lastly the don’t skimp on the straws for the shakes the are big and wide. Great job guys! There’s nothing worse than trying to drink a thick shake using a wimpy, skinny soda straw. I just love the casual environment (it’s a renovated gas station) and feel good food.
A++ place!!!

Not worth wasting my comments, but don’t go there if you’re brown or from out of town.

What a local treasure… Probably one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. As other reviewers have mentioned, this old Mayberry-​esque 2-​pump-​gas-​station-​turned-​diner has the ambiance, food, and fun to call me back each week. Add great staff (Brooke & crew) and the pet/​kid friendly atmosphere, and you have the makings of a renowned burger joint right here in Cave Creek Andy Taylor would be proud of. — Michael Rice

Been there four times in the past few weeks. Consistent and tasty. Their chocolate shakes are great.

Their name says it all! Great place to stop in town, and hands down, the best milk shakes for miles around. Don’t leave without one!

If you love great service, fun coworkers and the best burgers and «calzone sandwiches» in the area, Big Earls is the place! I was up to visit my parents and we needed to eat lunch before an event. My dad called in the order before we got there. 10 minutes later, Brooke, the best and vivacious burger attendant, saw us walk in and said «You guys are the phone order !» We were sitting down to eat, enjoying Brooke’s sassy conversation and laughing the whole time. Great vibes from the music, service and décor. Food was excellent — recommend this spot highly in your visit to Cave Creek!

Weird restaurant with flavorless food. Serving $ 5 burgers/​sandwiches for $ 9. Good came out cold and we were the only table. Wasted $ 44 on 3 adult sandwiches and 2 kids meals with one fries.

I ordered the blackened chicken sandwich, no mayo, and I got mayo sandwich with a side of chicken. Portions are small.
The venue is cool, but the food is not good.

Great food, great service, great atmosphere!
Brooke was absolutely adorable!
Charming little place with awesome memorabilia. We went and met a few of the regulars who couldn’t have been friendlier. Dog friendly patio is always a plus, especially when it’s so beautiful outside. Located among super cute shops all in walking distance.
We will definitely be back!

The food is always amazing! Perfectly cooked, secret sauce mayo on their Big Earl Burger is the best, and a full bar! You couldn’t ask for more but it gets better! The atmosphere is the coolest, who doesn’t want to eat at a 1930’s gas station? And the staff the best example of «Cave Creek hospitality»! I dare you to not become a regular!

I have been going to Big Earls for over 10 years to have the Breakfast Burrito, In my view the friendly staff along with the BEST Breakfast Burrito on the Planet make this place one of a kind.

The people are nice the food is great my favorite is the grilled cheese and fries
They Also allow Dogs on their back patio not sure if anyone knows that because I never see any there

My son talks about Big Earl’s all all the time! I stopped in for breakfast this morning, and it REALLY is a fun place to eat and hang out. Andrew and Brooke are super friendly, and seem to genuinely enjoy working here. Breakfast was exactly as I ordered it, and I loved the coffee! (I usually don’t like the coffee many restaurants serve.)
Big Earl’s was built in a 1950’s style gas station. The old pumps are here, and I LOVE the vibe!
Now…take all of this, and put it in Old Town Cave Creek, and you have a winner!

Went here after a very long off-​roading trip with some of my friends, and we all enjoyed our meals. I don’t remember what kind of burger I got, but it was really good. They have this coffee milkshake/​malt that is absolutely to die for! They even asked if we wanted some of the coffee grounds in there and it was so good!
The people there were really happy and fun to talk to; it seemed like they really enjoyed working there. The ambiance was very nice and fun. Great place to stop if you’re in Cave Creek!

Big Earl’s caught my eye driving through Cave Creek. Very divey looking, which is a draw. Burger exceeded expectations.
Plenty of «stop in» options in Cave Creek. Big Earl’s would be my choice for a burger and a brew.

First, our burgers were amazing!!! My fiancé’s Big Kahuna was juicy, tasty and cooked to perfection. Ditto for my Kobe cheeseburger, our cajun fries, and onion rings. Sabrina was genuinely friendly, greeted us warmly upon entry and brought us our food as soon as it was prepared. She also made our malt… I think she put crack in the chocolate malt… I need another one. It was the best chocolate malt I’ve had in years! We left her just under 20% tip, which my fiancé placed in the wrong bucket at first. I took it out ($ 6), clarified which bucket was hers and put it in there. The woman sat at the counter who later identified herself as a manager got an attitude and moved her tip bucket, and the drawer she was counting. Anyway, when Sabrina brought our food I asked if she got the tip and she said «Yeah, a dollar right.» «Nooooo, $ 6!» So I went right inside, asked to speak with a manager, homegirl sticky fingers said she was one, so I told her to put the money back and she said «okay» without protest. Maybe she made a mistake… maybe, but I’m still docking a point.
It’s clean, the décor is cool and the patio is nice and shady… just like a certain «manager.»

It was a little cool Wednesday night, but we had the pup so needed a pet-​friendly venue and that was Earl’s! As usual, the girls at the counter were super nice as they took our order, reminding us there were pans outside for our little Pupperoni to eat and drink from. For some reason, «Big Kahuna» anything sounded good, so DH got the Big Kahuna Chicken sandwich and I got the Big Kahuna Burger. So basically, same thing — different meats. A generous portion of protein, with grilled pineapple, onions and lettuce (not grilled!) and this delicious teriyaki mayo. No cheese, I don’t think, but it was so good, you didn’t notice. We shared and both agreed we liked the burger the best — it’s supposed to be the best Angus beef. And we got fries, and they were excellent! Hot and crispy! I had iced tea and DH got this adorable little mini-​bottle of wine. Have never had, but I have friends who SWEAR the «adult milkshakes» are a must-​try. And the playlist was super — we meant to ask if it was their own mix or Pandora.
It ain’t fancy but’s it’s hipster-​kitschy and it’s a great people-​watching point, particularly during the day or during one of Cave Creek’s town parties, like Wicked or Wild West Days or Fiesta Days. And yes, the «dining room» is tiny — but except for the most inclement days, why would you want to eat inside anyways?
All in all, was a pleasant almost-​hour, idling on the patio with a tasty casual dinner, listening to some tunes and hanging out with my two honeys.

Holy delicious! The burgers are hormone-​free and super yummy! Got the Big Earls with American cheese and it was top notch. Fries were tasty too!

I just eaten here for the first time and this place is the first good dinner I have had in cave creek ever simple and good it’s worth a visit burgers and beer. Friendly and not over priced nice place fun place

I live in Fountain Hills and often take drives through Cave Creek. I always see Big Earl’s and was always dying to try it but never had time. Well, last Saturday hubby and I finally had time, and I’m so glad we did! We both had a Big Earl’s burger, shared onion rings and to drink I had soda and hubby had a beer. The burger was one of the BEST I have ever tasted, honestly! It was juicy, big and had a yummy taste to it. Overall, I will DEFINITELY be back!
PROS:
YUMMY burger
Beer was cold
Cool atmosphere
Service was decent
Did I say yummy burger?
CONS (what prevented 5 star rating):
Price…$ 25 for 2 people
Burger was pink in the middle
Limited seating inside (too hot outside to enjoy food)
Onion rings needed some more seasonings.

Veggie burger is YUMMY… I think it might be deep fried after they dip it in cajun seasoning (optional)…definitely one of the best I’ve had, but not one you’d want to eat a lot of (cuz of that deep fryin’ awesomeness). They also had some sort of alcoholic shot that was delish. Shake and the fries definitely reminded me of 1980s McD’s!
The atmosphere is casual… like a cross between a 50’s diner and an outside biker bar. Love it!

Came here with the family after golf. We had 3 burgers one was Kobe and a buffalo chicken sandwich. regular fries, Cajun fries and a large chocolate, peanut butter milk shake. 2 bottles of water and a diet coke. Total was $ 56. What a deal. The place is good. Fresh burgers. Crunchy fries.
Fun patio that you can bring your dog to. I’d recommend it! Can’t wait to try the breakfast. Full Bar too. Yummy!

After having lived in the area for a few months, we have found that there aren’t a lot of options for great food in Cave Creek. We tried Big Earl’s Greasy Eats a few days after moving into town (mainly because it had been on Diners, Drive-​Ins and Dives) and we weren’t super impressed, mainly because we felt that the service was lacking and the food was average.
We have since been back to Big Earl’s and our opinion has changed. The menu offers a number of different options, but we tend to like the hamburger options or chicken sandwiches. I am a fan of the mushroom Swiss. Our kids really like the hot dogs and the sweet potato fries. There is a nice area to sit outside (seating indoors is pretty limited) and enjoy the beautiful Cave Creek scenery, especially as the evenings become cooler.
What has really stood out recently is the excellent customer service. Both times over the last few weeks, the staff has been very friendly and helpful. I ordered my food to-​go this weekend and the super nice lady helping me took the time ensure that my order was correct (nothing worse than getting home to find that you are missing someone’s meal). She took time to talk with my 4 year old (that will always win me over) and offered her a sample of the ice cream. I am glad that we have given Big Earl’s a few more chances and will continue to return!