On our first day in Big Bear Lake, we wanted a delicious, but quick breakfast. Thelma's was a great choice. We made it just before the 11 am waffle deadline & it was outstanding--light, fluffy, served with maple syrup. The biscuits and gravy were outstanding as was the cinnamon bun french toast. Servers were very attentive and always appeared at our table with a smile. Like many other Big Bear eateries, this is a cash only business.
When you walk in there is a noisy fridge with pies... And placed is small so really no where you can sit without hearing the buzz of it. Turkey in the sandwich did not taste right to wife could not eat it. Assumed Ortega burger would have more flavor, but was bland. It's cash only, generally cash only places are a bit less expensive, this was not case here...1/4 burger, going bad turkey sandwich, and kids grilled cheese with 2 diet cokes and a milk came to over $50 maybe it is COVID costs, but was not impressed with any of the food and it was not cheap.People where very nice and friendly, There was outdoor seating but was closed when we visited...not sure logic for when it is open, or if it is a staffing issue which is understandable.Overall, don't expect much, it's a simple place with nice people but meh food at a high price and noisy pie fridge.
The host/servers were weirdly aggressive. The food was bland and could very well be hospital food. We had a party of 6 and they added a 25 dollar tip on the bill without telling us. It was odd.
Wow!!! what a great breakfast suprise. One of the best chicken fried steaks and gravy ever and I've a lot of them over the years. Also had the pecan cinnamon French toast, which was fluffy and amazing and the wife had the pancakes fluffy and delicious.
The service was excellent and the place is super cozy! We ordered the all you can eat ribs which were a little fatty for my liking but will try another dish next time!
Very delicious food homemade food
My husband brought the family here on a weekend outing. The cinnamon rolls are fabulous as are the apple fritters. My husband and youngest son love to have a meal in this location when they go out on their hunting excursions. The only downside is that they don't take cards so make sure you have cash when visiting this great place. My kids loved it, my husband loved it and we will definitely be coming back.
Got a chicken fried steak, eggs, hash browns, and biscuits and gravy. The chicken fried steak was the consistency of an off brand store bought chicken nugget. Didn't taste of steak or chicken. It tasted like salty batter. The eggs tasted bad. The hash browns tasted better than the eggs but still were bad. The biscuits and gravy were the best thing in the meal and I found that if I just dumped gravy over the whole meal I could get more of it down. I ended up tossing out about 1/3 of the meal. I just couldn't force my body to accept any more of it. It was expensive too. I won't ever get food from Thelmas again.
Prime rib was amazing! We got there right when dinner opened and The service was excellent and the food was delicious!
Thelma’s is absolutely wonderful. The food is top notch chow with the best ingredients, always tastes fresh and yummy. Their menu has a great range, I’m hooked on the hot Turkey pita. Their apple dumplings are amazing! They always have ample, spacious, outdoor seating on the patio so for the Rona conscious it’s very safe!