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Categories: American (New), Latin American, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: Long Island CityDitmars Blvd (N, W)
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Definately one of the best places for burgers in Astoria.
I had the classic angus burger - delicious.
The only complaint is they charge extra for fries and cheese!!!!
It was a friend's birthday party that finally got me down to Fatty's. And since I am good at receiving advice, I heeded Yelpers' suggestion to order a mojito and to try the burger. In fact, I am so good at taking advice that I ordered two (2), mojitos that is and not two (2) burgers!
Granted that it's quite difficult to mess up a burger, it doesn't seem easy to make really good mojitos either, judging from the number of places that don't mix it well. Fatty's excel in making a simple burger. extraordinary and in mixing simple drinks, exceptionally well.
BY FAR my FAVORITE place to eat in Astoria. When I used to live there I would go to Fatty's all the time... From the Chavorayo to the Cubanno -- and my deep, deep love for the newish Contraband Chicken... Not to mention the black bean chili and charity burger. Gosh I wish I was eating there right now.
Not only is the food and atmosphere wonderful, so are the husband and wife owners, who make this place so warm and neighborhood-ish. Whether it is for dinner or brunch (they have a sweet brunch menu) - you must check this place out, even if you live in Manhattan. OH, and DEFINITELY try their mojito. It is the best mojito I've ever had in my life! No joke... PS - in the summertime they have a rocking backyard that will make you feel like you are eating at some restaurant in the Caribbean.
Big up Fern. Miss youz...
I like this close by place. I had the Cuban sandwich. I really enjoyed the sweet potato fries. The mofongo is decent. It might be the only place on Ditmars that you can even ask for mofongo without them looking at you funny.
this is my favorite place.
chicken sandwich from heaven
i live near there
owl beer!!
WOW,
This places burgers are amazing. I've been here twice so I have tried 2 of them and will be back to try more.
First burger I had was some sort of spicy burger cant remember the name. Cooked perfectly and drool worthy in taste.
Second burger... Chorizo burger. Ah-may-ZING. So much taste. totally drool worthy, messy burger.
Good selection of beers although only bottles, wish they did drafts too.
Up there and out of the way but worth the trip.
Nom.
I've been there many time and dinner is good but their brunch is horrible. OK food, no coffee refills and bad service. They also add 20% gratuity for 6 or more. Luckily there are so many great options in the area. The male waiter there acts like the customers are an annoyance.
I "likeded it".
I've seen, known, wondered, and considered this place for years. Interesting menu, eclectic Americana with some sprinkled Latino favorites.
Tostones were crispy, garlicky, crunchy. Pretty good. Turkey burger on a Kaiser roll was tasty. Glass of wine in hand - affordable. Good service. Interesting art on the wall, relaxed ambiance. Dope little spot. I've missed out on it for years.
Oh yeah, I broke my wine glass.
Sub-par food. Decent beer list. Good atmosphere.
I've eaten at Fatty's twice -- brunch and dinner -- and the food is supermarket take-out quality. There's no excuse for any restaurant in Astoria, a neighborhood proud of its Greek heritage, to serve canned olives or pre-crumbled feta, and yet that's exactly what was on my dinner salad ($7). My partner's Yard Burger ($9) could have been fair to decent, except for the bitter jerk sauce.
Online menu and prices are out of date. A surprisingly good beer selection is the redeeming factor, plus the chill and casual atmosphere. Eat elsewhere.
Ground chorizo and ground pork fused together and skillfully and ever so delicately placed in a bun. Serve this with fries and you have a fantastic burger with the perfect amount of spice.
Very relaxed and chill atmosphere. No pretentiousness detected here. Extremely pleasant wait staff. Good beer selection from duvel to troeganator. It really is a gem that's off the beaten path.
I've had bites of the charity burger and tastes of the sweet potato fries. All excellent. Though the empanada was slightly dissappointing.
Mesclun greens nice and fresh. Enjoy.
Finally I must say the brunch is not as excellent as their dinner menu. Breakfast burrito was nothing special and the polenta cakes were undercooked.
Came here on a Monday and I was surprised at how crowded it was for what is usually an "off" night. There was a party there for an art opening so that took up a good chunk of the room, but the back had a lot of couples who just came in for dinner. The place is small and there was one waiter but he was pretty attentive and handled the crowd very well.
We started with the guacamole which was a special for the night. It came in a cute little bowl with chopped tomato and white onion on top. It was actually some of the better guac I've had in Astoria but I wish the portion was bigger.
I ordered the contraband chicken which was chicken stuffed with cheese wrapper in pork and topped with...more cheese! It came with a generous portion of plantains and a person who I can only assume was the owner recommended a smoky hot sauce to go with it. It was a little salty for my taste but it was a very delicious meal and although I personally don't like plantains (::gasp:: how very un-dominican/westindian of me) I managed to enjoy one.
I ordered a side of sweet potato french fries (now becoming less and less elusive). Unfortunately they were just sort of blah and I didn't enjoy them like I do at other places.
Another thing that I didn't like was my mojito. Now I'm not a big drinker but here is how I feel about my mojito
it should not:
Be yellow ....
Taste carbonated ....
Green sprinkles of what I can only assume was supposed to mimic mint floating on the top....
Needless to say that drink was awful plus the bartender had his pants too low and whenever he bent over I was graced with not partial plumber but full on ass at least 3/4 exposed...
All in all the place seems really laid back and has some good fatty mcfat style food. I would like to check it out for brunch next time.
The polenta cakes are fantastic, the mofongo is great and the omlettes are pretty good. But the service is spotty and the bill starts adding up when you order more than the one cocktail and cafe con leche (which is fantastic but pricey - especially if you want more than one). When our bill started hitting $60/70 for brunch we stopped our Fattys habit.
Also, when we were going religously they did not take credit cards but I've heard rumors that policy may have changed...
I've only been here once (today) for brunch, but so far, I really liked it! It's a very cute place with artwork on the walls by local artists (I think). It reminded me of cute little places in New Hope, PA. The service was very good--friendly waitstaff. I think $12 brunch for good portions + choice of mimosa, bloody marry, limeade is very good, although I saw here that it used to be $9 or something--which would have been amazing, but who can survive on that nowadays?
I had the fattata, which was good, but it was a bit too dry. My boyfriend had the mofongo, which was very yummy. I really liked their mescalen salad, although I guess that's hard to do wrong. Overall, I think it's a cute place with good service and good food for good value--will be back for brunch, definitely, but I should go back for dinner some time!
A certain Yelper has been raving recently about a certain $26 burger and has got me started on a burger obsession that is quite frankly, unlike me as far as food obsessions go, because it has corrupted my decision-making abilities for where to go out and what to order. All I can think about is burgers. Corruption, thy name is Tony C. It started out innocently enough as a nice Saturday with Hubby and I meeting my sis and her hubby for some sun and fun in the park. We played Scrabble on a blanket amid all the kiddies screaming around us and old folks sunbathing in skimpy clothes who shouldn't. Then we played a long round of Frisbee, in which calories and energy were sapped and talk of renourishment ensued. What immediately came to mind? Peter Luger's for a burger. I scolded myself for such a thought. No, don't push your obsession onto others. Let them choose. My sister chose Fatty's and we all piled into our car and drove to the far reaches of Astoria. The place was smaller than I expected, decorated funkier than I expected, and less crowded than I expected for a small funky place in Astoria on a Saturday night.
In perusing the menu, I saw several burger options. I tried to focus on the other sections of the menu- salads, pressed sandwiches, but my obsession wouldn't allow for such distraction. Get the black angus burger, my mind whispered. Don't fight it. My sister saw my hesitation and suggested I order a burger because they were good here. Ahhhhhhh...Done. Medium rare, with anejo rum ketchup and sweet potato fries. Although the patty itself wasn't huge, the bun was. It was going to be a fork and knife operation after all. The first bite, second bite, and several bites after were surprising. This was really good! It was the right juicy softness inside and the special sauce that came with it gave it a kick. Although it didn't satisfy my burger obsession, it sated it for the time being. The sweet potato fries were also very good, and when dipped in the rum ketchup, where you could clearly taste the rum, it became a strange (but good) novelty taste sensation.
Sis got the same thing, so I'll briefly go over what everyone else got- her hubby got the Cuban (excellent) and Hubby got the chili with garlic mashed potatoes. He was very happy with both. We liked this place enough to want to return on our own and order other stuff off the menu, maybe eat out in the patio (it was being renovated at the time). Meanwhile, I will patiently wait for my burger obsession to die a quiet death.
Minor update 10/8/09: Their brunch items aren't as strong as their lunch items.
I'm going to try to avoid giving an overly enthusiastic review to a place that wouldn't get one if it were in Manhattan or Brooklyn. Astoria is lacking in cute places, so it's easy to get way too excited about a place like Fatty's.
I went for brunch over the weekend. They've upped their prices. The website says $9, but now it's $12 for any one of the dishes and a choice of bloody mary, mimosa or limeade. (The menu specifies no substitutions, only omissions, so you have to order your coffee separately, even if you don't want alcohol)
The brunch options are interesting, ranging from eggs to a cubano sandwich to what we ordered: polenta cakes and something called mofongo--a super-dense corn substance sitting on top of a pile of ground beef.
The polenta cakes were mild and sweet and were really in need of some kind of sauce. Both dishes came with a little tasty salad.
I'm not a huge brunch person in general so maybe I'd come back for dinner, but I wasn't blown away by either dish I tried.
The limeade, however, was excellent!
The waitress here was not that friendly, but the food was fine and it's pretty with the windows open.
Stopped on a weeknight looking for a place near by my apartment. Whenever I walk by on the weekends they are always busy.
The burgers that I heard so much about were good but not nearly meeting the hype. They were tasty but small. Not the kind of burger I would go crazy over.
I plan on going again sometime for the bar, but don't feel the need to return for the food.
Fatty's is awesome. I've been for the brunch and regular menu. Personally, I prefer the regular menu, but both are good.
My favorite is the chili, it's listed as an appetizer, but it's always enough for a meal for me. My husband swears by the vegetable burrito.
My sister kept telling me about this place awhile ago and we finally checked it out (and have been back a few times). I would say this is a hidden-gem in Astoria for those who do not live near Ditmars and know about it. The food is quality and the service is great. I really love their mashed potatoes. Everything I have tried has been good on the menu and I will definitely go back again. Once we had to wait a while for a table, otherwise no complaints!
Fatty's is good, not stellar, but good.
I had really incredible service the first time I went, but when I went back the service was horrible.
The food is always good, though, and reasonably priced. I love their polenta cakes for brunch.
Gotta love Fatty's! The cheese empanadas are excellent. So is the jalapeno turkey burger.
Used to only take cash, but now they take cards.
Quirky decor with blue sky-painted everything, but I can deal.
Fatty's still remains one of Astoria's best, bringing comfort Latin food with a healthy twist to an area overwhelmed with Greek and Italian eateries. There have been a lot of changes here as of late, all of which have resulted in greater experiences and a better rating (4.5).
The summertime version of Fatty's is my favorite, having come out of its winter shell with outdoor seating in the back, practically doubling the crowd capacity for the restaurant. Dining inside or outside is great, though I prefer the inside for its intimate ambiance and candle ambient lighting.
Service has gotten better and certainly cuter (Hello Stephanie!), while remaining attentive and efficient. The bartenders are full of personality and they have all made me a mean mojito. The next door wine bar (Crescent & Vine) may be a more sensible place to drink, but I'd rather go here where there is better company and less crowds.
The menus have a slight face lift, with a plastic cover and easier reading with layout improvements in regard to font and spacing. Pricing has remained reasonable, the most expensive thing on the menu is at best $15 and that is for a steak. The food is still good, plenty without being overwhelming and well presented. Some good news for those strapped for cash they now accept credit cards (a big plus!).
Fatty's has got to be one of the best neighborhood establishments in Astoria, with its fantastic… Read more »
I found this place on Yelp and my bf and I decided to give it a try. Even though you can't really forget you are in queens, they do a great job of trying. The beer list is probably one of the best in the neighborhood and the food was amazing. Out of curiosity I asked what the grilled cheese of the day was and it sounded so good I ordered it. A double decker sandwich with whole wheat bread, cheddar cheese, chipolte mayo, zucchini, squash, and red onion. AMAZING!!!! My bf got the charity burger w/o cheese and was very happy with it. We went sans appetizer but I am totally ordering the hummus next time after seeing it at the table next to us. The prices are great, and the service was wonderful. My new favorite place!
Astoria is regarded by some to many as beng a wonderful place to live because of the great food. I however hate Greek food...I mean LOATHE it. So it is truly wonderful to have a place like Fatty's in the neighborhood because they DON'T specialize in souvlaki!!
Their burrito can take the Pepsi challenge with any good mexican place and the empandas are savory. The crabcakes are also a fantastic choice. All in all it is a good mix of food selections.They have a good beer/wine list and a full bar as well.
The Decor is nice. Frequently featuring local artists prints on display for sale as well as nice mood lighting. The main con is the place is a little cramped and VERY loud. There is also an outdoor patio to dine on.
Brunch Pros: The mofongo, plantains stuffed with ground beef is nothing but yum. Limeaide is the way to go. Atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon was crowded but not overwhelming.
Brunch Cons: The bloody mary is bloody horrible. Too much cocktail sauce, not enough tomato juice...what the funk?! It's a strong drink if that's what you're yearning for on those lazy Sunday mornings. The polenta cakes are sweet and fluffy, but a bit dry and as one reviewer noted, needed some sort of syrup.
Fatty's could make me a big ol' fatty too considering the portion size of the chuletas. I know the menu said "pork chops" (as in, plural), but I was not expecting one pork chop to be normal-sized and the other one to be bigger than my hand! It came with rice & beans, and I immediately designated half of it to be the next day's lunch. Two meals worth of juicy, tender, flavorful meat for $13?? How can you go wrong with that??
My boyfriend's hangar steak looked positively waifish in comparison to my dish, but it was still pretty tasty. I was expecting his frites to be the skinnier, crunchier kind, but they were just regular fries. The beef empanada appetizer was also pretty good, especially with a few splashes of green Tabasco sauce. All the prices seemed more than reasonable, and I was very pleased with our meal.
The local artwork on the walls was...interesting, if not entirely appetizing. The overall vibe of Fatty's was cool, just on the edge hipster territory, but our poor waiter was friendly and as helpful as he could be considering he was the only one serving the Friday night dinner rush. We'll have to check out brunch sometime, and hopefully enjoy the back patio when it's warmer.
When you hear their specials, which include gourmet ingredients and Manhattan prices, you might make the mistake of thinking Fatty's knows good food.
Don't be fooled. It took me three times to learn my lesson. I wanted to like it; the staff is nice and the ambiance appeals. But the food disappoints. The last time, my crab cakes were soggy and my french fries--typical boring industrial food-maker ones-- were still somewhat frozen. Previously, my girlfriend was served an over-salted stir fry with not-so-fresh-looking vegetables. My salmon burger was good, and another time, my steak wasn't bad. Their entrees generally are hit or miss. Their sides flat-out suck. And overall, their meals don't fit the bill.
Fatty's was a good, solid neighborhood place. The empanadas were fantastic. I was excited to see that they had Three Philosophers beer on the menu. They have an outside (not open at the moment) which is a huge plus. Good service and food (I had steak with a burgandy/chocolate/something-or-other sauce) and the prices are reasonable for NY. I'd definitely recommend it for a few drinks and a casual meal.
Cute little space in Astoria with a nice outdoor space during the summer. When I went they had the walls full of paintings of naked guys with their bits at eye level which wasn't exactly something I wanted to see when I was eating (they've since changed to a different artist's exhibit). The food was really middle of the road and the margaritas were the worst I've ever had. Maybe worth trying out for a quick lunch but definitely not for having a nice diner or anything.
I love everything about Fatty's.
The atmosphere is fun,the food is great and the staff is young and hip.
The Mojitos are to die for and sitting on the back patio on a hot day is wonderful.
I recommend their crab cakes & their sweet potato fries or their cuban sandwiches.
I live around the corner from Fatty's and go there at least 3 times a week. The staff have become some of my closest friends and I take all my visiting friends here for at least one meal. They have great burgers (try the Charity!), drinks (Czech beers and Chocolate Stout!) and grilled veggies.
Their brunch features are different and include killer polenta cakes! In warmer weather, they open the patio out back and serve there. Overall, great food and great people!
Best place for locals to grab some food and a good drink. The staff is always nice and the vibe is really chill.
Outdoor Garden is open! All right, now that you know, please don't overwhelm the poor staff, steal all of the tables, okay? Fatty's is run by a couple that seems really nice. When a table next to me yesterday spilled a soda all over the place, one of them ran out, wiped the whole thing really fast, brought them another drink, as well as made a little witty joke. That was classically good service.
About the particulars. My Mojito was good, with fresh herbs, well muddled. Grilled Veggies were tasty, well marinated. Fried plantains were fantastic with a crispness of flavor I still remember.
5 Stars for: The Charity Burger!
This still might be my favorite little cafe, despite the fact that it is no longer around the corner from my house (I moved, it didn't, it should!).
The reason for that is that the Charity Burger is the most delicious burger I have EVER had, anywhere in this world, HANDS DOWN. And believe you me, I have had a lot of burgers from a lot of places, and sure I've loved them good, but nothing compares. They actually have three other burgers on their menu that are almost equally as amazing, but nothing tops the Charity burger.
It is good meat piled with avocado and sprouts and garlic aioli and some kind of rum ketchup concoction and served with a delicious gingery salad instead of greasy fries. And since I do actually love greasy fries, sometimes I order their side of sweet potato fries and they are frickin fabulous!!
Supposedly they donate $2 of the price of this burger to charity (hence the name) but they don't really go into depth about it, so I'm not sure if it's fully true.. but hey, if they do then that's even better!
Also - their salads are awesome, Chavorrayo Sandwich is awesome, pork chops, crabcake sandwich, Cubano.. oh my god I am totally drooling on myself right now thinking about it.
It's dark and cozy in there, the wait staff is pretty nice and efficient, the beer list is great, and they sometimes have their back patio (the "fatio" as they call it, haha) open in the summertime, which is super funky picnic tables and such, but I like it anyways.
One issue I have with them is that their mojitos used to be stupendous when they first opened up, but now they are blended a little too much for my liking, and there is too much sugar as well.
Plus they started doing flavored mojitos with pineapple or blueberry or whatever, and I'm just not a fan. Call me a purist, whatev, I didn't love it!
And another word of warning - their dinner is delicious, as described above, but their brunch is reeeeally mediocre. Plus the atmosphere doesn't really translate to daytime lighting... it's better dark. I don't know why their brunch menu doesn't cut it, it just doesn't.
So, avoid the brunch but go for dinner. YUM!!!
"Totaly off the beaten path is a place we are sure you'll return to whenever you need to get away. Fatty's is the cheapest getaway in the city, great food, cocktails, atmosphere..."
Fatty's Cafe was recommended by a friend and my guess is that if it weren't for that, I'd never have even set foot in this restaurant that now is on my list of "places to become a regular."
When we walked in the door, my first impression was good, I noticed an interesting mix of people, including families, some couples and small groups and people at the bar, a good crowd for a Sunday night too. The little place was almost full. My next thought was that everything on the menu would be vegetarian, it just gave me this sort of hippie vibe. That would be good for a diet at least.
The problem with a diet is that you have to eat healthy food, and on a lot of menus that limits you to the salad. And a lot of the time making a unique salad is a challenge, so it just seems like a waste to order the salad when there's so many other truly unique things to try on the menu. Such is as it was at Fatty's.
My impression was way off - there were definitely meat items on the menu, and it all looked very good. We ended up ordering several appetizers or "goodies" rather than main courses. here's how they ranked:
First, The Grilled Cheese of the day was, if I remember correctly, a sandwich with zucchini, mushroom and red pepper. I may not have the ingredients exactly right, but I know that it was delicious. And cheap.
Second, The Black Bean Bowl (not on the linked menu) was a hot bean dip with what I believe were house made chips. It was covered with sour cream and scallions. Amazing. We practically scraped the huge bowl of dip clean.
Third, Empanadas. We had one cheese and one beef. They were good but nothing amazing, to me.
Fourth, Fatty's Calamari was unique, almost a tempura style with a puffier fried breading. It didn't stay very crispy but was otherwise tasty. It came with an alioli dip which we enjoyed.
I'm interested in trying the burrito, and perhaps their build-your-own salad...and the burgers look great, as do the sides. I'll definitely be bringing others in on this little secret down the street from my apartment. Am I getting repetitive saying I'll be back? I guess I'm going to have to try more than one restaurant a week. I will have to remember to bring cash, as we found out, almost too late, that they don't take credit cards.
Finally, I found out who Fatty is - but I'm not telling.
This place has really great food and a really great atmosphere. The menu selection is probably the best I've seen up and down Ditmars as far as dark greens, good burgers, and beer selection goes.
However.... I was highly disappointed by the service here. I don't know if the male waiter just expected us to tip badly because we looked young (a self-fulfilling prophecy) or if he was just having an off day, but we weren't told about the specials (other tables were - we noticed), our drinks were never refilled, and I had to flag the guy down if I wanted anything.
I plan on going back and giving the place another chance, but I was quite disappointed after hearing good things about this place.
I live in Astoria but can't say that I'm really a fan of food in Astoria because there are just so many "hits" in Manhattan. Fatty's Cafe is making me want to try out more restaurants in the hood.
I had the monfongo - Carribean style frittata of sort. Great texture and flavour. The bloody mary was a bit too spicy but the bacon was so good! It was so flat...just like how the Food Network described dry cured bacon.
I saw the polenta cake served with slices of provolone sandwiched between and was drooling. Will be trying that next...with some bacon.
Great atmosphere and a friendly place.
I've been here many and the pancakes are great, so is the steak.
For some reason, this is the place I go on dates with my ex-boyfriend. I think Fatty's is the reason we're still friends. The Charity Burger is the best burger I've ever had (and quite possibly the reason I'm okay with living in Queens).
I liked this place. Very cute and chill interior, lots of specials. We had burgers and fish and chips, both were very tasty. I can't wait to try out some of the many specials. We need more of these in the nabe.
Free coffee or tea!
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