Wow. What happened? This place I swore by not so long ago has taken a serious nosedive. Lunch with the kid again. Fun, right? Nope. They were a bit busy but it didn't seem like a huge crowd today. We sat outside again. I knew what I wanted immediately, and placed our order as soon as our waitress came over to greet us. A cheeseburger for the kid, and a pulled pork sandwich for me. I've never had theirs before. And I never will again. And fries. We got fries. The wait was insane. At least a half hour for very simple dishes. The kid got a tiny burger. Beef and bun. No cheese, no ketchup. I had to ask for cheese. Yes. They messed up a cheese burger. Then there was my pulled pork. It was literally inedible. I've since come to learn that it was not reheated properly, so the goo that covered every bit of meat was fat. It was served cold, for some reason, and the way it was presented on the menu, listed under a picture of some yummy browned wings led me to believe it would be a very different - and HOT- sandwich. The server did offer to take it back, but at that point the meal was ruined for me and I didn't trust them to make anything else, or make it quickly. I made it clear I was very unhappy about such a disgusting sandwich. She took all of 10% off my bill. Better than nothing, but a lot less than I was expecting. if this is how they're doing things now, I'm done with this place. Badly overseasoned fries... cold pulled pork... cheeseburger with no cheese... I mean, come on... and based on what little I caught from people at another table, getting food out seemed to be an issue for them. I'm not sure if any other places nearby that aren't just bars serve decent food, but if they do, you can definitely give this place a hard pass. Yuck. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - When you don't heat the meat, you get a layer of gross congealed fat. - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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I wouldn't exactly call their appetizers "fun size," even though the menu refers to them as "fun size fun baskets." The portions are massive! I wasn't particularly hungry that day and, as a first-timer at Fat Dan's, I expected a small snack. Nope--what I got was a huge portion, but thankfully, it was delicious. The restaurant was packed since IU had just hosted a football game, so it was loud, and seating was limited and service was lacking. Still, it was a tasty experience overall! read more

Came in after a basketball game and were told to seat ourselves. It took a few minutes for us to be greeted at our table and we placed our drink orders. We then never saw that girl again. Eventually, another waitress saw us waiting and apologized and took over our table. She got our drinks and took our food orders. The food itself didn't take a super long time to come out, but wasn't fast either. I had the Chicago dog. It tasted good, and I thought for the price and coming with chips, it is a pretty good value! My husband and I also split a large fry. Wow, this was a lot of fries. Definitely could have stuck with a regular. The menu calls these "the best fries in the universe". I mean, they were just good. It then took us quite a while to get the bill and pay. I guess I was just under the impression that this was a quick place to dine, and not long meal given that they serve hot dogs and fries and we're not very busy. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Chicago dog - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Delicious food. Cheap drinks. Great service. Ask for Piper. She is really quick and cool.

Service was speedy and the food was delicious. I came in on a slow night and they were near shutting down but I had a drive ahead of me and they let me order. Set me up nicely for my drive and the BLT was fabulous. I would absolutely come back here for a sit down next time I'm in Bloomington. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - BLT - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

First time in, and had an ok experience. Walked in around 7:30 on a Sunday night after an IU basketball game- was expecting them to be busy, and they were. My wife and I were surprised that it was a sit down restaurant- we were thinking it would be a place you order at the counter and sit yourself down at- we were obviously wrong. The bartender/server told us to take a seat wherever. Took her about 15mins to get to us and get our drink orders. About another 10 minutes goes by, and no drinks. Another waitress helps a table sitting right next to us, and asks us if we had been helped, to which we responded we had been but it had been a bit. She came back five minutes later with our drinks and took our order. I had the sub special- east coast sub that I had toasted. Overall, pretty decent sandwich, and not a bad price point for $10 for a sandwich and chips. Plenty full of toppings, and had a little bit of a kick to it with regards to spice. My wife and I decided to get a large fry to share. Tons of fries. Too many actually. They were listed on the menu as "best in the universe" but were pretty mediocre for me- pretty greasy in all honesty. I know it's a college town, so not expecting greatness- but still weren't my thing. The coleslaw was pretty bad. The cabbage was discolored, like it had been sitting for a few days- there's a reason- it's not very good. Mayonnaise overwhelms it, with little other taste. Waitresses only swung by after we were done eating so never got a refill, as by the time we sat in the beginning, waited on the food, and ate, it was already 8:45 and we were ready to drive back home. I get they are understaffed, but I would prefer they turn away tables if they can't serve them properly than keep taking on tables and deliver poor service. I think I would return again. Maybe it was an off night. The sandwich had good promise, and the fries were decent. I would just stay away from the cole slaw. read more

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Fat Dan's no matter which location you go to is pretty consistent and also a safe choice. I always get the chicago dog and some type of side. The wings are really good. I usually go for the larger order. A few of my firends had the brisket sandwich and they loved it. They also said it was a bit oily and messy, it looked like it... Sometimes Ill get the mini corndogs, but the amount of ketchup they give you is a joke, so be sure to ask for extra in advance. The loaded tatertots is also a good choice to share with a group. Would always come back for something casual. Good lunch spot from the feedback my friends gave me. read more

The hot pastrami was very flavorful, maybe a tad more meat would have made it better. Beer was cold and refreshing. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Pastrami sandwich with chips - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The service is good they employ some interesting people one of the bar staff name was Smelly. Some of the others had interesting pass and are open to talking about it. Which is one thing I love about this place. The ambiance is basically a college bar with plenty of TV's for sports. The food I had was delicious the wings which are smoked and fried with a rub. The Turkey burger was probably the best I have had next to my own which I use wild turkey that I do my own grounding. Now for the most oddly thing is that they don't offer Ranch or even offer it for wings or salads. They don't even have celery or carrots with the wings. The owner has a thing about condiments for some reason. This is why I will rate this as a 3 star. Who doesn't want wings with ranch and celery. read more

Fat Dans is awesome. Especially da fries. And the Cuban. Everything I've had is bomb. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Chicago Dog - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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One of the best sandwiches I have ever had. Ordered The Italian Beef Sandwich and already can't wait to come back to have it again!!

Finally had a chance to eat at Fat Dan's and not do takeout. Went in and the bartender gave us a couple of menus. We wanted to sit outside. The server was at our picnic table almost immediately to take our order. I ordered the Italian Beef and some cheesy fries. My partner ordered the Chicago dog and coleslaw. Even though it was busy (Parents' weekend at IU and a home football weekend), our food came out fast and hot. I was very impressed with my Italian beef. Not quite as good as the Italian beef sandwiches from the Chicagoland area, but the best Italian beef I have had south of Lake County. It tasted great. Jean enjoyed her Chicago dog and the coleslaw. The fries were not our favorite thing. The beer cheese tasted a bit off and honestly, it's a bit of overkill with blue cheese, beer cheese, bacon, and scallions. Would not order those again. However, the service, food, and price are all just right, so adding a fifth star. read more

I got the Italian beef sandwich . The giardinera was soo salty, I had to pick it off and eat the sandwich bare . The tots,however, were absolutely out of this world!! read more

The food at Fat Dan's Bloomington is on the same greasy goodness par with its Indy sister locations. But, unfortunately, the service was lackluster. The tables outside were dirty from day, week, or month before they were last wiped down. I had to go to the bar to ask one of the three people standing behind it for a towel. Remember: a place is as clean as how it presents itself to its customers. I'm not sure how clean the kitchen is. I had to flag the wait staff down for a menu, to order, and to get the check. I may only get takeaway next time, if there is one. read more

This is a great place to go with a big group of friends! They have yummy fries and pretty good sandwiches. The staff is fun and helpful. Because there's often groups, service can be slow. But it's in a good walkable location for the school. I've heard their wings are good! But haven't had a chance to try them yet. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Fries are big enough to share! - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Place is huge inside despite what it looks like outside. They say it used to be some type of middle eastern restaurant that used only one side of the building. Now this is Fat Dan Deli and they use both sides of the building. Fun fact I guess. Food was ok. I know allot of people will like it but it was ok for me. The fries and beers seems the way to go. But they definitely have allot choices for food. This place is definitely made for watching a sporting event on TV. Come with ya guys or come with ya girls. They sell local craft beers which was Fantastic!! Great choices! They do not sell hard liquor though. I asked for a Long Island and they were like sorry only craft beers ‍ Staff and bartenders were extremely nice and generous Side note: they have a basketball shot thing for FREE. Drinking and playing that equals a good time with friends read more

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The Wells St. Fat Burger was fantastic with an explosion of flavor assortments - savory, sweet, tangy, and salty. It also had an amalgamation of textures with the beef, onions, and gorgonzola. The beef was like a smashburger, but it still was a decent sized (stated 1/2 lb). The only thing that kept this from a 5 star rating was the chips on the side. My recommendation would be to get some decent fries (even average will do), up the price a bit, and make the fries an automatic with the excellent burger. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Wells St. Fat Burger - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

This was my first visit to Fat Dans Deli and I was impressed! I loved that the location was easy to find, lots of parking options when we were there, and I was overall happy with my meal. We walked in on a Saturday afternoon and we're able to get seated instantly (definitely not always the case in downtown Bloomington). Our sever was kind, quick, and accommodating with answering our questions. We ordered the Dirty Dogs to start and they were so yummy! I truthfully did not expect to like them because loaded tater tots is not something I eat often. BUT, it was so good! We also got different kinds of sandwiches (more details in the photos) and everyone in my party enjoyed them. I'm excited to go back and try something different! read more

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Good was great!! We had burgers and Reuben sandwiches. Sides were a little pricey. One of the few places in Bloomington where a Chicago dog can be found. read more

The food was good as the other two locations which I have visited. I would say the service this night was severely lacking. It was not busy and by the time the night was over there were 3 different people trying to cover for each other. I am okay with with that, but I felt 2 were covering for one employee ( our original server). I love the other two locations and want ti like this one too, but maybe take a look at the operations. I love local places and want the To succeed, but the effort needs to be there. read more

Great service and food. Served on butcher paper. Great idea to save on dishwashing! I eat here when I am in downtown Bloomington.

Went into this last Saturday late afternoon with a friend and his wife. They were busy, and the bartender told us to go ahead and have a seat there's a 30-minute wait for food. We thought, okay, we'll go ahead and have a drink and order our food, and then when it gets here, it gets here. We ordered a drink and tried to place our order for food. The bartender said no we are not going to take your order now because we're behind." We said, okay, can't we just go ahead and place it, and then when it gets here, it gets here? He was very rude he said no, I'm taking you drink orders now, or I'm walking away. We were shocked, and he did walk away. We walked away as well and will never ever go there again. They need to learn what real customer service is like! read more

Don't let the word "deli" fool you! Came for a Chicago dog and left with an extra one. If you're looking for a Chicago bar you found it here! Easy friendly service, chi dog was exactly right, awesome tap selection. Good music. From what I know it's a newer location, I see a lot of potential here for a late night crowd. Looking forward to trying some of their polish SASSAGE and other menu items. Wish I came here sooner! read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Chicago Dog YUM!! Taste of home - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Fat Dans is one of the top places in Bloomington. The loaded tater tots and the fries are must. Wake and bake burger is fantastic as are the wings. One of the best!! read more

Love Fat Dan's!! Not my usual type of restaurant, but the atmosphere is welcoming and you know it's going to be good food. Ordered the Flat Daniel and it was one of the best burgers I have had in a long time! Cheap pitcher of beer too. The tots are great but the food is very filling so would recommend sharing the sides with someone else. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Doubt I come back. Food is good but service is terrible. Lord help them when covid is over an they run full capacity. To go on top of server not coming around, we asked for napkins on one of her few spottings. Messy food, with kid also. She you got some an pointed at the 3 on table. *manager came out on his own an talked to us. I feel he was genuine with concern. I will come back an give another shot due to him trying to correct the problem. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The wake and bake burger is the perfect first meal of the day after a night out. Would also recommend their wings too. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Wake 'n Bake Burger - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Had wings and a Chicago dog! Both were good! Great service! Friendly waitstaff! Will be back!

We were driving through Indiana and decided on Fat Dan's Deli for lunch. The food was great, I had the 10 count wings and a beer on draft. Hubby had a Cuban sandwich (not on menu at restaurant but on the online menu. We both enjoyed our lunch sitting at the picnic tables on the patio. Our waitress was very friendly and offered honest suggestions related to the menu. read more

I have been traveling to Bloomington frequently on business, and Fat Dan's was recommended as a great place to eat. The first time I visited it was amazing! Complete with great food and service on the patio. My second trip I naturally went to fat Dan's again. Second trip was a huge success and I fell in love with their smoked wings-try them, sooo good. The third time I went I took someone new and he was very excited after hearing my glowing reviews from the previous trips. With that said, we had the wings to start and of course they were great. For the mains, I ordered a turkey burger and he ordered the Reuben. The server told my co-worker they were out of corn beef and they could sub pastrami-okay, sounds good. Flash forward to the delivery of the food. I received a veggie burger and his pastrami was cold and tasted like "iron." He was too nice to say anything so he just ate his chips. I however, asked them to make me an actual turkey burger. When I told the server his response was, "yeah the kitchen F'ed up." Anyways, they took the veggie burger and fired me a turkey burger. What I was brought out next was a beef burger. And I sour one at that. After one bite I spit it out. The beef had turned and it was not consumable. So, we called the server over and I told him it wasn't a turkey burger, and tasted terrible and I didn't want it. He told me, "well it looks like a turkey burger." He then proceeded to stand there and say nothing. Since I was with a co worker I wasn't about to argue with him so I politely asked for the check, and we left. I've included a picture of the "turkey" burger then sent me on their second attempt at making one-I'll let the people decide what kind of meat it is... I will say that I've worked in many kitchens and I know what a turkey burger should look and taste like. I also know what a standard beef burger should look and taste like. What I was brought was garbage and a huge tarnish to my perception of fat Dans. The sad part was when I received my check, ALL of the items were on it. At the very least they should have comped the turkey burger that I never received. I had two 5-star trips, and one 1-star trip here. Hopefully this time was just the "B Team" kitchen and wait staff. Thanks Fat Dans, it's been real, but I won't take the risk again. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - This was their second attempt at a "turkey" burger. - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Finally tried Fat Dan's for the first time and sat at the bar with a group of 4 to watch a basketball game. We were fairly quickly greeted by the bar tender and each ordered a different beer to start. The first beer one of us ordered which was on their board as a draught they told us they didn't have so we selected a different beer which came out incredibly flat. I'm not sure if something was off with their beer lines but we consistently felt like the draughts we tried were a little off so switched to bottles. In terms of food we ordered an array of burgers, sandwiches, wings, and an appetizer to start. Our food didn't take too long to come out but our appetizer had never come and upon asking about it I don't believe it had actually been put in. We also specially asked for warm, fresh fries and were promised they would be but they came out cold as if they had been planted well before the sandwich itself. We had two different couples in our group who each ordered a small fry but when we asked about the second fry they said they were added together which was strange for different couples but when the bill came we were only charged for one so I believe again something wasn't ordered. The food itself aside from the cold fries was actually pretty good and was probably a 4 star rating but our strange overall experience I'm giving a 3. I definitely want to give it another shot, however, in the future. Also, if you're a Yelper on a diet I don't believe there were any lighter options on the menu that I saw so may not be for everyone. read more

Fat Dan's Deli - Kids version of the Fat Burger which was PLENTY large and a side of fries. - Delis Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I can't get over how much I Iove this place. I keep trying new things and keep loving them. The fries are indeed wonderful.

WOW - Walked into Fat Dan's Deli (Bloomington, IN) and was told by the Hostess to get any open table (as it was busy). Saw people getting up from a 6-top table in the back corner and grabbed it as they were leaving - only thing open. As there were only 4 of us, pulled the extra 2-top aside to make room for others looking to dine. Sat there for a good 10mins and server 'KELLY' approached us and asked if WE had moved the table into a very 'hazardous' area (What?!). Told her I did as I thought they would appreciate us not taking up extra space for other Patrons. She then basically berated/scolded us: "did you REALLY seat yourself at a DIRTY table?" After we told her the hostess told us to grab any open table, with a nasty scowl, KELLY then left and returned with a spray bottle & towel and pointedly told us she was going to clean the DIRTY table we sat at because it was DIRTY. (using CAPS as a reflection of her tone!) I then told KELLY that this was not our first time at a Restaurant and know how things in busy restaurants get done. THIS seemed to further aggravate her even more. She gave us menus but then totally ignored us for the next 25 minutes. After a total of 35mins of sitting there with no drinks and/or food orders, we got up and left. I've NEVER had such a RUDE encounter with a Server before. Hate to say it, but she was a total B, as in BIG time !! We ended up having a great meal at the Malibu Grill just up the Street. Our server there, Issac, was awesome and we tipped him 25%. read more

Ordered Fat Dans through Btown Menus on a rainy evening after contemplating it for months. I'm VERY glad I did. I grabbed the Wake and Bake burger for myself, a regular Fat Dan burger for my son, and an order of the Dirty Tots. I'll start with the Dirty Tots. These things are WELL WORTH ordering. Even though it was delivery the tots were crunchy and all the food was still piping hot. I ordered the tots without the hot sauce and subbed BBQ instead and they were very delicious. As for the burgers, each of ours were very tasty. Each of them was HUGE, and the pattis tasted like homemade cast iron burgers that my grandma used to make in the good ole days. It was nostalgic and new at the same time. All together, the food was great. I'm upset that I slept on Fat Dan's for so long. The only thing that was off to me was (and I don't know if this is a normal thing or not) that they dumped the order of fries I got completely upside down in the bag and put the rest of the food on top. The bag could've easily fallen apart that way, and the fries didn't taste salted at all. Otherwise it was great and I'll definitely be back! read more

Tried this with the family on graduation weekend. What a pleasant surprise! Very cool inside and the food was delicious! Great beer options and they have outdoor seating. read more

Wish I had snapped a pic or two! My husband and I stopped here for a late lunch. We were the only people there so we sat at the bar. The service was excellent - fun and friendly staff. Both staff were personable and accommodating. On their recommendation we ordered the BLT + avocado and the Pressed Cubano - plus an order of fries to share. The bacon was crispy & abundant. The added avocado was green and fresh as were the other veggies. The fries were salty and crispy! But this Pressed Cubano was so yummy! The tangy pickle and mustard- the smoky pork and ham. The cheese was melty and the bread was the perfect marriage of chewy and soft. I would have gone back for dinner tonight! Hope Bloomington takes advantage of the easy parking and short wait times during summer break! A+++ read more

It was delicious, and I would go again. The portion of fries is very large. Street parking.

Whew I feel like I'm in Indy again! Fat Dan's is one of my most beloved restaurants in Indy. It's crucial to support local businesses right now and I really want to spread the word to Bloomington about one of my favorite restaurants of all time! Fat Dan's has the best sandwiches, the best mac n cheese, the best hot dogs, the best tater tots, and overall the best ~vibes~. I always come here with the intent to spend as much money as possible because I want to taste test everything even if I've already had everything on the menu. This is truly a restaurant where you leave with a full tummy and in a good mood. Full and ready to take on the world. Why is this place not as poppin in Bloomington as it is in Indy? These college kids need to expand their horizons and start eating good. read more

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Attentive, friendly staff, prompt service, and the best wings in bton. I kind of insist we hit this place once a week. Chicken tenders, burgers, tater tots, all spot on as well. read more

This place never disappoints. I have been there several times and gotten the loaded tater tots and the pulled pork sandwich. The staff is always great and so is the food. Definitely got my bang for my buck. Also, we watched the staff handle exceedingly rude customers with grace, so my respect and condolences goes out to them. read more