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Lawrence (Red)
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Fat Cat is a welcome addition to Uptown. A large bar that serves good food was needed in the area, as the popularity attests. The space is visually pleasing and hip. We had a larger group that had reserved a table prior to a show at the Aragon and once we got there we were told we couldn't be accommodated. It's just not a good destination for a group during peak times, and gets way too crowded.
I have still enjoyed myself here a few times. Their beer list is extensive, and the food is good. You can't miss with a burger, and last night I enjoyed the curried chicken salad wrap, with some of their tasty fries. Last night we kept getting the delayed kitchen report from our waitress, and I have to say by the third delayed report without a Free Appetizer or Drink offer along with it, I was getting a bit annoyed.
I'll definitely be back, but just probably not on a weekend night.
I ordered a Captain and Coke. They said they were out of Captain and would give me Sailor Jerry instead. I was surprised that they skipped Admiral Nelson and went straight to a non-naval man. So knowing that going from Captain to Sailor is an obvious downgrade, i sucked it up and got the drink. When the bill came, my friend's Jack and Coke was $7 and my Sailor Jerry and Coke was $8.
In what messed up world could Sailor Jerry ever be more expensive than Jack Daniels? Sailor Jerry is junk. Junk Junk Junk. Terrible stuff. Cheapo crap. And it was $8?
Come on. Not only that, we ordered some 25 cent wings, which were great and a great deal, but when we got them we also ordered 6 more. The next time the waitress came (20 min later) we asked where the wings were. She said the kitchen was closed. I told her she didn't understand, because we ordered them a while ago. She said she thought we were just asking about 6 wings, not ordering them.
Good deal on Wings. Not much else. They even charge $2 to play the mini-shuffleboard. Oh, but the Ms. Pac Man is only 25 cents to play.
By the way, my friends and I went to 6 bars that night all around the Aragon Ballrom and Broadway. I ordered a Captain and Coke at 5. Only one bar served me an actual Captain and Coke even though I physically saw two others pouring from a Captain bottle. These places are ripping people off by refilling their Captain bottles with crappier rum. I guarantee it. I have been drinking this as my main drink for a decade and I know what it should taste like.
Sunday evening, mostly empty, candlelit, Massive Attack playing-- "very appropriate music choice" is a good way to describe the ambiance. The Hi Hat cocktail (muddled grapes and basil) was delicious. To boot, the waitress came over when the game (final score: Yankees 7, Phillies 4, hah!) was just about to start and asked if we'd prefer the volume upped on either the music or the game. This is probably because there were only 3 other customers there, but still, definitely a nice gesture.
So alas! to the lukewarm Yelp reviews: I liked it. Will be back to Fat Cat for food and a beer. Oh, that's another thing-- the beer list is awesome. Curse my love of craft beers!
Great hangout. Great food and an excellent selection of beer.
Try the aioli fries or the urban turkey sandwich. Great music, too!
It's convenient...and that's about it. In the middle of an "up and coming" neighborhood, it could be difficult to find a good place to it and hang out before/after a concert. That's where Fat Cat comes in.
Sandwiched between two venues, The Aragon and The Riviera, Fat Cat is one of the only bars with food in the hood....unless you're looking for vietnamese or thai food - which I would love, but trying to please a group could be hard. The drink selection is good and the staff is very attentive, but the food is mediocre. The only good thing that I ate were the Mac and Cheese bites, but everything else was just blah.
I'll be back....if I have another concert to go to in the hood, but otherwise it wouldn't be my first choice.
Corn dog lolipops. Sure, it's not what they're called on the menu, but that's exactly what they are. One order gets you brat (!!!!!!!!!) and regular hot dog corn dogs. Add some spicy ketchup, "chicago sauce" (whatever that is...) and some grainy mustard for your dips, and you're in business. Also: super friendly waitress who definitely knew her chicago neighborhoods. She was quick on logan square recommendations!
Great spot to kill some time before a show at the Aragon.
As predicted, Fat Cat has certainly become a place that I frequent. I took a couple friends from out of town there recently and we had quite the time! One friend had the ahi tuna salad. I sampled it and my taste buds said "yay!". The other friend had a burger---I didn't sample his, but I won't lie I wanted to. I had the curry chicken salad wrap. It's not curried, but it's still tasty. My only gripe is they need to update the menu because some items they no longer have and some things aren't as they are described on the menu. Our server informed us of such things and it's def not a deal breaker for me, but it may bother some customers more than others.
Our server, Chris, and his girlfriend, Erin who also works there, are the best! They were fun as hell and were very attentive. They definitely made sure we got what we came for---good food and great times! Go there and ask for one of them....you may just end up being invited to be in their wedding!
Ahhh Fat Cat, I have a feeling you are going to be my home away from home since you are out my back… Read more »
Helllloooooo....?
Such a nice space - open windows, a light and airy feel. There's plenty of space to sit: bar stools around the bar, high tables on the side, and booths in the front. The back room was full of games - shuffleboard and other such fun. But...
Hellooo...? Why am I having such a hard time getting the bartenders' attention? Am I magically invisible? I want to order a beer, and, ya know, give you money for it. I'm the only one at the bar (the rest of my bar crawling crew has congregated en masse closer to the door). It's just little ol' me. Little ol' me and a framboise lambic, s'il vous plait.
Oh cute, a Bloody Mary cart! You pick your mix (they had an assortment of spicy-ness), and decorate your drink with celery, olives, and pepper to taste. But... I want a beer. Please.
Success! A bartender finally takes note of my puppy dog eyes and despite confusion over my order, is able to provide me with libations once I point to the tap.
Oh, but... now my bar crawl group is leaving and I have to either slam this drink or abandon it at the bar. After working so hard to get it, there is no way I'm leaving a drop of lambic in that glass. Fast drinking it is.
This place is just not worth it in my opinion. The bartenders that I have been served by while sitting at the bar were very nice and attentive, but the wait stuff is another story entirely.
The first time I went in with a few friends for dinner it was pretty packed. So, we attributed the slow service to the crowd. However, on subsequent occassions, with few or no other tables to be waited on, the service was still obnoxiously slow.
The food is hit or miss. The burgers are a hit, everything else is a miss. Their beer selection is good, certainly on par with other bars in the neighborhood. The prices are not out of hand, but it is not cheap. Overall, I would recommend it if you are going to have a few drinks with friends, because the atmosphere is nice, but if you are looking for drinks AND food, take it down the road to Crew. Or any of the other excellent neighborhood spots.
Me Likey! Any place that serves Kwak is high on my list.
This might be a place I start to frequent. Its a really nice space at a convenient location. Good beer selection and I enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich I had. Service was awesome too. Only been there once, but I really enjoyed the lone experience.
I really enjoyed coming here last night. It wasn't packed plenty of open tables-we opted to sit at the bar. I ordered my usual drink (maybe I should learn to drink beer lol vodka can get boring sometimes especially if you don't drink anything else but that-- I just don't want a beer belly!)
The bartender was nice and would check on us every now and then. We ordered some fries- my bf really like it-even compared it to In & Out's fries... uhh.. no I have to disagree lol
I would love to come back here again but then again I was told by my bf that I always say "Lets come back here! I love this place!" when I get drunk. I guess thats normal ... you love everything when you're drunk hahah plus the music was great!
Like most places with sub-10 entrees Fat Cat is nothing haute, nothing too special. But let me tell you what you get for that small price to pay.
I ordered the tuna melt and a miller lite and sampled the buffalo wings and hummus from friends. As mentioned before, nothing too spectacular.
But the fries oh the fries; I'm not sure how they were prepared but they were delicious. It tasted like they were either fried in a different type of oil or made of sweet potatoes. And the spicy vinegar that came with: yummy touch despite being rank. Just be careful to pour it slowly out of the bottles they give ya (it's fast!)
Ok, and now why I gave the 4. Our waitress was stunning. Cute, yes, but I mean stunning service. It had been beyond memory since I had experienced such a stellar combination of friendliness and willingness. She never said no and always found a way to fulfill our weird but simple requests (few extra fries for the table, coffee at the end, etc).
I think her name was Kim, at least that's what the receipt said. Ask for her. You won't be disappointed. Then tip her well!
Chill atmosphere, good drink selection, shots are on the expensive side, didn't get to try the food as the kitchen was closed when we got there around 10:30pm. Really? On a Saturday?
I will caveat this: if we had a different server, it would've been a 3 or 4 start sort of review. But I have to say that the right server can make or break a place. And this is no exception.
It's not the first time at Fat Cat. My first visit I remember the eclectic choice of food (I mean, seriously: a Velveeta burger!? I'm SO in!) and the great choices of beers. Nothing exceptional, but whomever decided these beers knew a good selection and range.
We sat outside again and enjoyed the atmosphere of the street. The two bars directly south were an endless source of entertainment, as was the outflow of folks from the Aragon just out of the NIN show.
Our server was amazing! The accommodated all 15 of us with a great sense of humor and a true love for her job. She had great recommendations and was extremely attentive. She made the evening a great success! She even cut the birthday boy's birthday cake, which they stored in their fridge until it was time.
We had a couple round of shots, including one named for a president (Washington Apple maybe?) and a vodka-based one with watermelon. Both were spot on and not that syrupy-tasting garbage that would make you gag. And the Washington Apple had whiskey but was so well crafted that my whiskey-hating tongue loved it and everyone else was pleasantly surprised.
So, great food, great atmosphere, great service, and a great night overall.
Uptown baby! I find myself visiting Fat Cat's more often now that I moved into the area. So, it's time for me to Yelp it.
Fat Cat's is this spacious bar that I enjoy stopping by for an after work drink or an after game drink. Straight, gay, young or old the crowd is always extremely diverse. I usually go on Fridays after my team plays beach volleyball at Montrose Beach. On Fridays they have an all you can eat Fish Fry, which I ordered this past Friday and loved it. It comes with a side of cole slaw and either a baked potato or french fries and tarter sauce for just a little under $9. I also recommend their Sloppy Joe sandwich which is one of my favorite sandwiches to order with one of their seasonal beers, which they have often.
The servers are extremely friendly and the bar always has a festive environment.
So, stop by and enjoy the Fish Fry and a seasonal beer.
Solid bar food. The service can be questionable on some nights but the food is probably better than most. I enjoy there appetisers the Nachos and the onion rings are out of this world. I do think the wait staff is a bit dicey; friendly but not the best servers. tend to stand around and chit chat with each other a lot.
While I think they are having a hard time figuring out who they are, who they appeal to, I think they are doing pretty well. I like the bean burger alot and there corn dog presentation is great!
They are still fairly young and I think once they figure out the basics I think the food will continue to be better than average bar food! Give it a try it is definitely worth it, the service is fast and friendly.
Stopped in on a Friday night at about 9:30 with some friends. Was pretty crowded but our server was good so none of us ever really had an emptly glass or beer for a noticeable amount of time. Didnt' get any food. My friend was able to park at the lot right next to the El and assured me it was fine to park there (me having no car had no idea) and was right because when we got back to the car at 1:00 there was no ticket.
I'd go back for sure, probably on a weekday night or some other less crowded time, to watch a game or something.
I finally have been led to Fat Cat on a few occasions and it hasn't let me down yet. The place looks cool and has everything I'd want in a drinking spot especially as the weather gets better. From a pretty good layout inside, ample tables outside, decent amount of flat screens in the bar and even the shuffleboard in the back, this place has what it takes to be a very solid choice in Uptown for some fun times.
I've read some reviewers that mentioned the service was lacking and I haven't had that experience but I've only stayed around the bar area. So far I have had very good service and the staff has been great. I'll go back for a burger and some drinks out in their patio soon so I'll keep an eye out for that.
Now with life-size Jenga!!! Two by fours cross stacked together like the game. Cool if you're playing it, sucks if it crashes and scares the crap out of you when you're trying to drink. I made a mess three times in one night. It's loud!!
I forgot to mention the great patio for those perfect weather days.
One of my favorite places in the whole city!!! Just the fact that it is a block away from the best… Read more »
Fat Cat is not as cool as it looks. Like many things in life.
I've passed this bar a million times since it opened, and have thought, "I have to check this place out." But I haven't. Either it's closed -- they open at 4 during the week -- or I've been on the way to another assignation, or whatever. It's easy walking distance from my house, but I don't feel drawn there. The Force is not strong with this one.
So the other night I finally dropped in with a few friends. And I can give it a resounding, "Meh."
The design is very cool. Lots of wood, some deco-y lighting, cool vintage artwork. Definitely a 50s/60s lounge vibe.
With huge flatscreen TVs playing sports everywhere you look. WTF?
It feels like the owners tried to open a cook cocktail lounge, which failed miserably, and so they scrambled to save their asses. The giant Jenga game is cool, if totally out of place. The dressed down (way down) servers completely clash with the decor. The noise level is pretty high for a half empty bar. The frat-rat clientele are a disappointment.
I won't not go back to Fat Cat. But nothing makes me want to go back.
I really enjoyed it here. My bf and I shared some delicious food (urban turkey and artichoke dip) and yummy beers and thought the ambience was great. When we left to go to our concert, we heard someone yelling and looked back to see two employees running toward us with my umbrella and scarf that I left behind! So nice! We liked it so much that we went back after the concert and had more drinks and fried mac 'n cheese balls (YUM!).
The epitome of mediocrity.
The wine/beer/cocktail list is just ok.....but many better options can be found within a quick 15 minute walk. I have tried a few sandwiches but find them all average, and I can make a better burger at home (or at least have it done to my taste.)
Sorry. I have tried to get a positive feeling for this place multiple times. Even the wife asked "Why did you want to go back here?" after the last visit. I guess I just wanted to give it one more try. Maybe if the prices were less it would be ok, but now I am just speculating...
Been to fat cat before, food was good, beer selection is okay. However, my experience last night brought me to this 2 stars territory.
Got there at 1am, bar was half full, the whole place was not even half full, we sat at a bar and 15 mins passed before the bartender even say a word to us, bi***h.
Another 10 mins before we got our lousy drinks.
If I even walk in there again, and she's there, I will be more than happy to walk out.
FYI - we walked over top the Green Mill right after, the place was packed, the nice bartender greeted us , say ...within 2 sec of us sitting down, we got our drinks right away, Green Mill to the rescue !
I like Fat Cat. That said, I get frustrated with its lack of identity. It's too loud to chat; there are either too many tables or not enough; there are either too many TVs or not enough. The food is very tasty and creative, but you might not be able to have any because so many tables are occupied by people just drinking. The brunch menu is wonderful, but the DJ thinks it is still late-night dance party on Sunday after church. I like the beer menu -- I always feel encouraged to try something new. The standard gin martinis are too wet, which is odd given its image. Odd little fact: a few of the waitstaff are gender-ambiguous, making it fun to guess.
Fat Cat is in a great location on Broadway in Uptown. I was passing by and something about it drew me in. It was wednesday night and it looked very chill and welcoming.. not a huge crowd, but not empty enough to look boring. I just wanted to have a few beers after a long day. It was nice and dark with an attractive room and tasteful decor. I don't know how long it has been there, but it is new since I lived in Uptown five years ago. It has a very contemporary feel, which unfortunately must include really bright, blaring flat screen TVs. If they just turned the brightness and volume down it would be much improved. After the game ended, they put it on subtitles and turned some music on, which really helped.
However, I couldn't help feeling the place sent mixed signals-- Fugazi playing over espn is just BAD ECOLOGY. Is this a sports bar or a cocktail lounge? Or an alternative hangout with heavily tattooed bartenders? I know.. a place shouldn't have to fit neatly into one category or please one audience, but the resulting atmosphere was a little disorienting for me. This is just my experience.. one out of many, so take it with a grain of salt.
Honestly, my review is probably just colored by the fact that I thought the bartender was a prick. He seemed like he was in a huge hurry the whole time, even though it wasn't busy at all. I was getting up to go outside for a smoke and I asked politely to borrow a match. He said no they didn't have any and walked away immediately even though there was a matchbook sitting right there on the register. This was after I had spent fifteen dollars and tipped 30 per cent. Whatever, dude. Having sleeve tattoos, listening to fugazi, and being an asshole doesn't make you cool.
Plus, even though there is a smoking ban, every bar should have some god damn matchbooks.. it's hospitable AND it's a good advertising medium.
Although I can barely spit out my order...port poached pear salad...try saying that 3 times fast their liquor and beer selections are top notch. Mimosas on Sunday mornings with pommegranate juice are great. I love the outdoor seating during the summer. My favorite items are the tres corn dog connoction with the 3 sauces and of course the port poached pear salad with caramelized walnuts and bleu cheese.
Before checking out a show at the Aragon this weekend, we tried another restaurant recommendation from a friend who has yet to steer us wrong. Fat Cat, on Broadway just north of Lawrence, was a perfect pre-show spot - from the eats to the setting. And apparently lots of people seem to agree with us; when we got there at about 6, the place was hopping.
Fat Cat has one of those great retro vibes - very 50s mod, starting with the cool neon sign outside. The open dining room, with a bar placed prominently in the middle, is dotted with vintage prints and ads. And while the menus are an afterthought for a lot of restaurants, these guys got it right - the cover of Fat Cat's narrow, rectangular menus looks like one of those worn hardcover books kids might have checked out of the library when our parents were in grade school. They complete the whole atmosphere.
While we weren't in the mood to stuff ourselves stupid we were almost seduced by the appetizer menu. It's packed with all the bad (read: good) things your doctor would freak about like fried mac and cheese, corn doggy a trios, and reuben balls.
But we were here on a mission. Clark had decided what he was going to order about five or six days earlier (note: this is not unusual) - the Thanksgiving Day sandwich. This sandwich proved to be a really, really good decision. The menu describes it as a turkey sandwich, with bread stuffing and cranberry between two pieces of toast with light mayo. And that is exactly what it was (sans mayo, at Clark's request). The turkey was just a tad bit dry (the cranberry gave it the moisture it was missing), but the stuffing knocked my socks off, and anything with cranberry is amazing. The toast wasn't just toasted, but also pressed on a grill, giving it those nice little hash marks and a bit of the gristle taste it needed. Instead of fries with this dish, it came with a side of green bean casserole. This too was really excellent. When we first took a look at it, we thought that it was just green beans, French fried onions, and what looked like cream of mushroom soup, but upon further inspection Clark found that there was "a bunch" of cheddar cheese underneath it all. Now that was a nice surprise. And to top it off, he washed the whole thing down with a "dead guy ale".
I, on the other hand, was dying for a good old fashioned cheeseburger (or Straight Up Burger as they call it here) and fries. The burger was great (and served on a cool square plate). I ordered it medium with a slab of melted cheddar and they definitely delivered -- slightly pink on the inside, but with a kind of crispiness around the edges and cheese dripping down the sides...and, oh yeah, the perfect amount of grease. It was a good size for me - I was able to eat the burger, about 90 percent of my fries (Clark stole the rest) and didn't feel like slumping over in the booth and taking a nap afterward. The fries were pretty standard but crisp ; while they're advertised as seasoned, I didn't detect a ton of flavor.
We dropped about $33 here (plus tip) for the two meals, a beer and a Coke. And it was worth every penny.
By the way, if you're just going for drinks and diversion, Fat Cat seems to have plenty of that too. We hit this place on Final Four night and found there are several TVs for watching sports as well as a pool table or two in the back, not to mention that they were also playing the movie "Heavy Metal" on the TV right above us. Rock! Drinks and beer are reasonably priced - and looks to be a decent variety of them.
For what this place is, I really like it a lot. The food has always been very good and even when the service is a tad on the spotty side, they bend over backwards to make it up to you. Their outdoor patio is also quite awesome. This is my personal favorite spot before or after concerts at Aragon.
Ok first of all, they carry a pretty rockin' selection of beers. I love the Holy Moses and big ups on carrying my favorite beer ever, Blanche de Bruxelle (this is the only bar in Chicago that I've found carrying my dear Bruxelle!).
Cocktails your fancy? Do the Prohibition or the Peach Tree. I'd like to be adventurous and try the HiHat but I haven't done that yet.
As far as food goes, I've only had a few appetizers but they've all been pretty good. Try the corn dogs, the taco dip, and Holy Mother of Tim "Ripper" Owens, GET THE BLUE RIBBON CHILI.
Want something fun to do? You can play pool, you can play darts, you can play shuffle board!
The atmosphere is relaxed, the decor is somewhat retro lounge like, and the staff is pretty friendly - or at least I haven't encountered any assholes yet (an ex's one night stand, which was definitely kind of awkward, but she wasn't a jerk).
Two visits, two wildly different experiences.
Service was good on both visits, but I chalk that up one member of our party knowing a waitress.
On my first visit, I ordered a half-dozen chicken wings. They were awful. The chicken tasted like it was beyond its expiration date. Was it freezer burn? Something more sinister? My tongue was unhappy with these wings.
But on my second visit, I ordered the straight-up burger and it was really delicious. Very good seasoned beef. The fries tasted fresh, but quite bland.
Going to Fat Cat is like putting a quarter in one of those vending machines that dispenses plastic eggs. You might get something cool or something lame, but it's never worth what you paid.
We went to Fat Cat for the first time last week. The only thing I could remember from reading the reviews about Fat Cat, was that there is loud music played during weekend nights. I can think of a thousand things I'd rather do than sit in a restaurant/bar, scream at my friends, and miss out on conversation because my hearing sucks. Off to a quiet lunch we go!
We walked in (with our canes) shortly after it opened and there was one other table. In my experience, when getting to a restaurant right after it opens for the day, the food is not as good as it could be. I'm not sure if it's because they aren't ready, they have a less experienced cook on staff, etc. HOWEVER, as of late, we have been having experiences where the food is actually better at these slow times because staff isn't rushed. In fact, we won't even order food at our neighborhood joint, Bar on Buena, if it's busy because of this.
We were expecting typical bar food. I went with the Thanksgiving Day sandwich because well, I could eat Thanksgiving type food any and every day of the year. I was worried when I saw my green bean casserole. There was a layer of onions and beans sitting on a pool of gray sauce. I was having serious doubts until I tried it--holy $hit balls! Looks were deceiving and it was very tasty. The sandwich was also really good and after finishing nearly all of it I realized I should have done the "low-carb" thing and ate it sans bread. I had issues walking home because I ate too much.
The 'band got the Buffalo Chicken sandwich and said it was one of the best he's ever had. He got it with a side of chili cheese fries, which he liked but I was not too crazy about the taste of the chili.
Staff was friendly and attentive. They were playing some great Motown hits and singing along.
So, Fat Cat was a pleasant surprise. And, after seeing they have 2 Below on draft, that sealed the deal. We will definitely be back.
Came here immediately following receiving my first tattoo at the Tattoo Factory down the street (up the street? I can't quite remember). My back was a little oozy and a mojito sounded mighty fine. Our server was hysterically quirky and attempting her best go of being hipster extraordinaire, but kept looking at herself in the mirror behind our booth like she was acting and I was all, "Honey, I'm no agent. Practice your monologue elsewhere."
The Corn A Trois appetizer was adorable, but so unbountiful. I mean, this is bar food. I am drinking. . . a LOT. I need a fully belly. On the other hand, we ordered more than one so I think the joke is on us. Fat Cats!!
My burger was just fine, and the fries were good, but as with donuts, I've never met fries I didn't like. Even Ore-Ida. I mean, it's a canvas to work with at the very least.
I did, however, love the crowd. Aspiring actresses aside, these are my people. We lounged and juked and laughed and Fat Cat is alright in my book.
Three words:
Thanksgiving Day Sandwich.
The green bean casserole served along with it which is made with what I am almost certain is Velveeta doesn't hurt, either.
Thirdly, serving Hamm's in a can....niiiice.
Yum-O.
I went here in the middle of the week with my yelper helper boyfriend. And we LOVED it. And come to think of it I want to go back SOON.
They play old movies and have a very loungy atmosphere that's active, but you can still talk. The velveeta Burger my bf had was out of control good... I had a really great salad and I want to go back for MORE when I'm not on a "diet."
I was expecting Fat Cat to have more of a swanky, lounge-y atmosphere. While the logo's font may be retro, the interior just feels like any other bar, and isn't particularly comfortable or inviting. The multiple TVs don't help.
Menu: I wasn't in the mood for a burger when I was there, so my options were somewhat limited by the Fat Cat's relatively small menu. Fortunately, they have Abita Amber on tap, so my taste buds were happy even though my turkey sandwich (with apple slices...?) was a little bit... meh.
Service: Just OK. When I first walked in, I wasn't sure if I should order at the bar or have a seat at a table. When I finally sat down, it took over five minutes to be acknowledged by one of the servers. Once our server finally came over, though, she was attentive.
It's easy to get to the Fat Cat from the Red Line, and you could certainly do worse. But I can't say that it's worth a trip out of your way.
This place is shaping up to be a first class neighborhood joint. The staff is unfailingly lively, upbeat and attentive. Was here on a Packed Sunday night (get it? "Packed"? Pretenders album? Okay . . .) before the Pretenders concert - and playing Pretenders music was a really nice touch!
The snack menu here is great anyway. Keeping to my "Try the Thing You've Never Had Before" way of life . . . Reuben Balls! Think Neapolitan Risotto Balls - a popular street food snack - and substitute Reuben ingredients. Corned beef, sauerkraut and rye breading, deep fried and dipped in 1000 island dressing. Brilliant! Juicy! Tangy balls of Reuben!
And to the two guys who would not leave me and my friend alone - when I asked "When does he go back to his cage?" I really meant it.
It's in my 'hood! Excellent beers on tap. Good layout, spacious and clean. Servers cute as can be,… Read more »
I've been to Fat Cat a handful of times and in all experiences, I can summarize that it just lacks something. What that something is exactly, I'm not so sure.
But what I can say positively about Fat Cat is that it is finally a place in the area that offers a large lounge, minus a Sports Bar or American Brewpub type theme. It is atheistically beautiful inside and they offer a spacious outdoor seating area during the warmer months. I like that they have valet service. Their specialty drinks, when ordered, have been very tasty, and I like that they offer a specialty cocktail list in addition to their full service bar.
Now for the bad....
For starters, let me mention the women's bathroom. I have no idea why, but it happens to be the darkest bathroom I have ever step foot in. It is so ridiculously dark that you can barely see where it is you are going to the bathroom. Call me crazy, but sometimes, I actually like to look at myself in the mirror while I'm washing my hands. I know, this sounds so crazy, but stay with me. I sometimes like to see if maybe I happen to have something stuck in my teeth, or to, GASP, put some makeup on! But this task cannot be completed in the light of what I will guess at is a 10 watt bulb, if that sort of thing even exists. It might as well be lit by a flashlight. It's that damn dark. I haven't been there since the Summer, so I will give Fat Cat credit that maybe someone has complained about the lighting and that it has changed, so this part is forgivable.
What is not forgivable is sitting at a cocktail table for a good ten minutes before even being acknowledged by a cocktail server. Each time, it's been the same thing, a not so busy time of night, mixed with a not so packed lounge, mixed with an absent minded server, too focused on catching up with coworkers at the bar than checking on tables. I had to physically go to the bar on one occasion to get the menu so that we could order some drinks, and I just settled on ordering them from the bar versus waiting for our server to finally introduce herself. It was a Sunday night.
For the food, I would say sub-par bar food. I certainly wouldn't crave it, nor would I remember it. And, I found it a bit off that their kitchen closes so early, even on Friday and Saturday nights. They could make a ton of money keeping it open, seeing as it would be one of the only places in that particular area with late night nibbles beyond Mexican or Gyros.
So why am I so hard on Fat Cat? Maybe because I see its tremendous potential and I want it to survive and thrive and stay open for years to come. I want to love it, because even though I have had some not so stellar experiences there, that overall, I love the feel of the place and I like what it could become. That even though the homeless people have begged for change from me as I sat outside on FC's outdoor patio drinking PBR one hot Summer night, it was a moment that I would never really forget, nor could experience quite the same way in any other neck of the woods.
Came here by default. Was on my way to Tweet for Sunday Brunch when my buddy realized she didn't have any cash. So, we ended up here.
Nice space and not ridiculously crowded like most places Sunday mornings. The brunch menu was limited but still a good selection. I ordered a breakfast burrito with home fries. It was pretty good but lacking in some flavor. The home fries had cheddar cheese mixed in but alas it was also pretty bland. I asked for some ranch dressing which took forever for the server to bring. And guess what? Surprise, surprise! The ranch was bland and seriously watered down.
The highlight was the pineapple martini. It was really, really good!
Overall, it wasn't bad but it definitely wasn't good. I'd give it another try though. With a name like Fat Cat who wouldn't want to come back??
Seriously...the name Fat Cat is freaking AWESOME.
I like Fat Cat a lot. They have great beer and cocktail menus. I recommend the Gatsby and the Peach Tree Tea. The first couple of times I went there, I didn't really enjoy the food. In fact, when I went there this past weekend, I wasn't bowled over by the Heartichoke burger (basically their artichoke dip on a burger). However, their homeade-ish fried mac and cheese bites are really yummy. I think that if I tried other things on the menu, I'd find something I really loved. One of my friends swears by the Velveeta burger. I will definitely be going back to Fat Cat for games because it's never too crowded. Go Bears!
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