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A good place to catch a game, enjoy a quick bite and a drink. The food was good, service was ok. It's kid friendly and they have high chairs available. The turkey burger (Gobble Gobble) was good but the honey Dijon brought it all together. The fries were also good, not the best in the universe, but you can tell they're made with love. One of the servers told me that they have two other locations and also a concept kitchen.
My friend Alana & I went because we had been talking about it for weeks! They understood the assignment. Sat outside enjoy the weather. I believe our server was the only server, serving over 6 tables and she was great. She checked in, brought samples. Only minor downside is we asked for a one extra pickle since we were splitting our sammy & she brought out several & charged us without a a heads up. We ordered a 10 count wing (honey Dijon & their hot sauce on the side) m, fries & their version of a patty melt called a fatty melt. Everything and I mean everything was DELICIOUS! We were absolutely satisfied. Not one of our top Patty melts but very delicious. We put malt vinegar on our "fries," it's like 2 different cut style fries and house made chips-AHMAZING!! So happy we made it for lunch. Absolutely delicious & such a great experience.
On a quest to find a good local Italian beef, and although the original Mr. Beef in Chicago remains my GOAT (thanks, The Bear!), Fat Dan's puts up a very respectable sandwich. A generous size, and I appreciated that it was wrapped in foil and served with a plastic knife and fork. I asked for mine "dipped," and felt like it could have been MORE dipped. I really like the bread sopping wet with jus, this was a little dry. Still, tasty! Be forewarned, when they say spicy giardineira, they are NOT kidding. Whew. My kiddo and I each got a sandwich (served with potato chips), which turned out to be way more food than we needed on top of sharing an order of dirty tots (with pulled pork, cheese sauce, hot sauce and scallions). We could have easily gotten away with splitting one beef, and took home enough food for at least another whole meal. The patio was lovely on a warm, fall evening, and our server was great.
I highly recommend the beef sandwich. We also ordered the Reuben which was very good. Fresh cut fries were delicious. There is a parking lot behind the building. Lots of pot holes so watch out for that. This location is near Butler University. The service was quick and friendly. I ordered my beef sandwich dry with the gravy on the side and got the usual "look" because that's not how to order it. But I don't like soggy bread. The restaurant has dive bar vibes. It was a nice place for a quick lunch after attending the Nutcracker Ballet at Clowes.
In loving memory of Troy Reeder and William Walls, the greatest Dan's advocates of their time. You want a landing spot, let it be this. It's proven sufficient time and again. Let proof be the "going for two" order from my last visitation. First burger was so good I had to get another. I'll revisit this incident momentarily. Look at the chalkboard for display, yet as always, order an Old Style. Look over the menu and pick something different, it's all worth a goer at least once. Each loyal tenant will find a favorite, but keeps a host of viable options for rainy days and off nights. If you need a starting block, my friends swear by the "crunchy nugs" with honey mustard. What prompted this review, after many neglected opportunities to write, was my showstopper. She'd never sat before me, but has since left an impression. The Blackened Wells St. Fat Burger. I'm never afraid of a flavor-induced exclamation, yet this took a step further. Proudly sighing, some may even say moaning, next to three grown men. That's the quality of this burger. Laugh at me, sure, but don't count me a fool! This will remain my FDD staple for some time to come. My last parting word of wisdom is to get a large fry for the table. The grubby hands climbing this pile of potato is enough to get any table talking. Loosen ya right up for what's to come! Much love to Dan and his disciples, y'all rock.
I love Fat Dans and have been coming here for years now. No matter what you get it's always fresh and delicious. Can't beat a cheeseburger and Old Style with a side of fries. Great place to watch the game whether Butler, Bears, etc.
If you're missing Chicago, this place has you covered with plenty of hometown eats and beers. Not gonna lie--the fryer oil has seen fresher days, but the wings? Worth every trip back. They're the real MVP here.
Fat Dan's has been my go to for comfort food. Went yesterday for a low key Valentine's Day lunch and had the ribs. They have always been excellent. I found them to be undercooked. Flavor was OK but not fall off the bone. They were undercooked a bit "tough" and I should have complained but did not so that's on me. Next time I will order the half slab to make sure their quality is back. Just a bit disappointed
We stopped in for a quick lunch today after an event out of town. Service was very speedy and our food was great. My friend had Italian beef and I had the pastrami sandwich. I love the atmosphere of the bar and how it relates back to Chicago and the Chicago Cubs. They had some good drink specials, but we were unable to partake because of work. Will certainly come back again soon.
The burgers are always amazing! This is my favorite spot to this day! The beers are ok, I'm here for the burgers and either tots or fries. Very so often I get chicken wings and the dry rub is the best! The bartenders are always busy but they are always on top of it! I usually sit at the bar so I can get a good view of the tv during games. On game nights is always packed but never rowdy. It's a great place to bring the family. One thing, if you're sensitive to smells, they do have an open kitchen so you'll leave smelling like it.
Food: The burger was by far my favorite! Ribs were moist. Wings were good smoked but I think I just prefer mine fried. Beer cheese fries were good. They're creamy and very filling. They have no ranch in the facility so don't ask. lol. It's a running joke at the establishment. Service: Very good. Attentive but not overwhelming. Ambiance: Pretty good parking availability. Outdoor seating available. Tables and high bar seats available. I like how this location can open up the "garage doors" so it's open air. Makes for a nice ambiance on a really good summer day.
2 years ago
Great burger and I thought the side of chips instead of fries added a nice crunch to my meal. Oddest thing was that they don't offer ranch as a condiment. I would recommend for a quick lunch or dinner for sure read more
10 months ago
My neighbor talks about how good "Fat Dans" is. I had it at his house during a carry out order, and finally decided to experience Fat Dans at the restaurant. We took our dog and sat outside. We had a great waitress, talked as a family and had some good fun. Then the meal came. They brought it on a big sheet of paper with a big mess of fries. My burger was one of the best I've had. The fries were Los delicious. The outdoor seating is in the back and was fun. I liked it and will be back! read more
3 years ago
You got a love Fat Dans for what it is, straight up bar and hang over for food! And the ladder is exactly the reason I came here, I needed something to soak up the good times I had the night before, and an Italian beef with hot peppers and french fries hit the spot. I love that they have a large order of french fries that they just pour on the table and you can share with your friends, if you're feeling nice, that is! Bonus points for carrying coke products! Stellar place to watch a game as well if you can find a seat! read more
Fat Dan's Reuben sandwich is a page right out of a Beat Bobby Flay TV show! They smoke the corn beef and instead of 1000 island dressing, they add their own neon green relish. The relish is a Chicago thing put on the Chicago-style hot dog. The corn beef is hand carved not shaved and the melted Swiss Cheese and sauerkraut round out this very savory sandwich. The sandwich is served with potato chips. While I'm mot ready to completely abandon Shapiro's, this sandwich is a great alternative. read more
Wow. I'm a schmuck. I left them a four star review after our first visit and never updated it. Fat Dan's OG SoBro location gets all of the stars. It is full of charm and character with its uneven concrete floors and mismatched tables and chairs. The staff are all friendly and fun, but there's no one like my Dave. He's my favorite server. You'll see a lot of the same regular patrons and they'll eventually give you a nod. Beer list is plentiful, including unique draft and bottle options. The hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, fries, and wings are amazing! Wings are smoked and then flash fried to order. Sauces are made in house. There's no ranch. Bleu cheese, honey mustard, hot, BBQ, hot bbq, and teriyaki are the ones I remember. I could go here every weekend. Happily. read more
My first visit reaction: wait did I just get served my dinner on butcher paper..... is this a Chicago theme thing? i'm not Chicago enough to know so i'll leave that as my Hoosier perspective on the matter only. 2nd visit impression - well the food is good - i guess i can adapt to the lack of plates haha Had Chicago dog / Itailan beef and they don't hold back on the fries - i mean its called FAT for a reason right? read more
This is probably the best Italian beef I've had outside of chicago for sure. I came here with some friends and it was a dope atmosphere. Service was good. And the food was delicious. If you actually like your hot peppers to have some kick than these are the ones for you cause I was definitely feeling a little something! If you're in the area I recommend stopping by. You won't be disappointed! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
I can not say enough about this place. I've been wanting to visit the location for years but have not had an opportunity so we went for lunch. From the beginning the service was impeccable and everyone was so nice and the patio had umbrella tables I ordered a local "lemon shake up" again, amazing! Then the burgers were chefs kiss! I can't wait to come back and if you haven't tried it, do it like....soon! read more
1 year ago
Fat Dans is a great spot to catch a sports game! We recently came to watch the Pacers game and the atmosphere was electric. Our server was great and attentive. I ordered just a cheeseburger and it did not disappoint. The fries are great. Fresh and warm. They rotate beers which is always fun. I don't really understand why they don't serve ranch. I understand it is a Chicago place, but I do miss ranch when I order fries. Overall, a great sports bar to have a good burger and beer and catch a game! read more
3 years ago
My friends have been recommending this place for a year or so and we finally decided to give it a try. Located in a great area surrounded by various restaurants and shops, the place looked like an average bar-restaurant, with plenty of TVs and bar decor. We seated ourselves and a server came to take our drink orders after a few moments. However, the beer menu was on a chalkboard on the wall, which wasn't visible unless you were in direct line of sight, so we skipped the drinks. The menu had several options, but it was hard to read due to the faded color scheme it was printed in. We had three different servers who attended to us, which was a bit confusing, but they were all attentive. We ordered the dirty tots which were massive, but the excessive amount of cheese on them masked any other flavors. The wings were excellent and shareable. I ordered the hot corned beef and pastrami sandwich, but the meat combination was strange, and one of them was so chewy that I had to remove it from the bread to eat. I wouldn't order that mix again. We shared an order of fries, which were plentiful, but we didn't like them. They were supposedly "the best fries in the universe," but they had a sugar blend on top with a little bit of salt, which didn't satisfy our taste buds. Overall, the atmosphere was interesting, and I might come back if I'm craving a hot deli sandwich, but it won't be a regular spot for me. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
The service was good, but they got our order a little wrong. All the food was delicious And the interior was clean read more
2 years ago
Chicago said it would allow Indy to have some good food. Enter Fat Dan's. Always good food and friendly employees. Nice rotation of beers and some mid to top shelf spirits. Food portions are nice sized for the money and I am never disappointed. Like smoked meats? Get em here. Meatloaf (Wednesdays), pastrami and corned beef and the wings are always solid choices. I always add a small fry that looms large over what you find anywhere else. Food comes out on what I call "brown butcher paper" to make clean up a breeze with an accompanying roll of brown paper towels. For those that prefer plates and napkins, you gotta go elsewhere cause I never seen those here if you're dining in. I could care less what my food comes out on as long as it is good and hot. It can get crowded especially in the summer but they have a deck out back where you can also park and seating out front too. I gotta check out the ribs one day soon (available Sat or Sun only) or a burger but I always hit up Fat Dan's for the wings which is why I haven't made it to those other seemingly solid food otions. Check out the accouterments for a laugh! read more
2 years ago
It was our first visit and it certainly lived up to it's reputation of a cool little sports bar with tasty food. The food is certainly better than most sports bars that usually offering very salted fried foods. Here's what we tried: Wake n bake burger. Portions were great and well balanced relative to the bun size. Nothing worse that a tiny burger in a huge dry bun right? Not this place. The bun is soft but not so soft that it disappears as you're eating if you get my drift. Burger meat is soft tender and good flavor. Han is sliced thin but you can still taste it. The egg is on to sunny side up. The smashed tots are just enough. All together it makes an excellent burger! Large order of smoked wings. I didn't count them. I think there were about a dozen or so. Meat was moist and not over cooked. It's smoked and then flash fried for a nice crispy texture. I think the dry rub is a little salty but not unbearable. Drinking beer with your friends, you'll probably not notice lol. I ordered dan's hot sauce. It's got some seasoning in the sauce that's interesting. It's spicy for sure but not over the top. Dirty tots. It's their take on loaded nachos with tots instead of chips. It has cheese wiz sauce, smoked pulled pork, some scallions, and dan's hot sauce. The tots were crisp even with all those topping on them. I thought the pulled pork was overly salty. I'd guess it was their brine. The hot sauce gives a contrasting hot vinegary flavor. I think I'd prefer it without the hot sauce honestly. Service was great. Our server was friendly and recommended some popular choices. He checked on us several times to make sure our drinks were plenty and get anything else we wanted or needed. Much better service than your typical sports bar. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
I wasn't 100% sure best place to park but it was early which made it easier. Service was decent nothing to brag about but nothing to be disappointed about either. The fries were so good like cooked perfectly. My favorite burger was the teriyaki one. The pastrami wasn't bad but I think thats an acquired taste. My least favorite was wells st I didn't like the cheese on it and not sure what the sauce was. I would go back and try something else. read more
Loved this gem! I got the grilled cheese + avocado. Boyfriend got the Reuben. Both were SO good and we wish we had stayed here and drank instead of walking around because they def had the best beer and atmosphere. Would come back! read more
Chicago style restaurant with all of the goods. I had a hot dog and fries. Small fries is plenty to share between 2 people. The meal also comes with potato chips. Hot dog was Chicago style, complete with plenty of celery salt. If I had to be picky about one thing, the bun was very dry. I've been here before and that wasn't the case so maybe it was just an off night. The restaurant was packed, but had a quick and efficient wait list system. Our waiter was incredibly friendly, especially during a bus night. Street parking and small lot in the back. read more
2 years ago
Oh my...I'm so deliciously full! All the reviews we read were on point!! We shared everything because we couldn't decide. We shared the dirty tots, the burger and some wings. I honestly couldn't pick a favorite of the 3 and neither could my husband. The burger was smash style so thinner but still very flavorful. The wings are smoked and the flavor alone was so good. These wings were big and fell off the bone. We got the hot bbq and fat dans hot sauce to dip them in which both were good but not needed. The dirty tots had pulled pork, cheese sauce, green onions and fat dans hot sauce. OMG... I've never had tots stay crispy when loaded but these did. It's a small place in broad ripple but was getting busy around 6. Cool little dive bar feel with outside seating. read more
5 years ago
Okay.... New favorite sandwich-- fatty melt. Ugh, it's so good! It's so juicy and the rye bread combo is great. The thickness of the bread holds the sandwich together. I could eat another one right now. If you're on the fence and want something other than a traditional burger try the fatty melt!! read more
4 years ago
I drive past the place all the time and it was beautiful today so I decided to stop in. I was solo so I picked a seat facing the street. What an atmosphere. Just like you'd find in Chicago. Ordered the hot pastrami corned beef w Swiss n mustard. It was killer! They smoke n cut the meat by hand themselves. Definitely will be back to try the Italian beef next! read more
This was a great spot to grab a quick lunch while shopping on Mass Ave. Even on a busy Saturday when most other places seemed slammed, I was in and out of Fat Dan's in a little over half an hour. The hot piggy sandwich was warm and toasty, great for a rainy day. And I especially liked the fries, which were traditional style in different cuts and had wonderful potato flavor! To me, there was a similar tone to most of the menu items, and while my food was good, there wasn't enough variety to bring me back over and over. The atmosphere was very laid back and it would also be a great spot to grab a beer and hang out with friends. read more
2 years ago
One of my main rules for dining out in Indy is to be suspicious of any restaurant claiming to serve Chicago style food. I'm trying to avoid having perpetual disappointment in my life, and I've pretty much never been to a "Chicago style" place in Indy that even came close to getting it right, so I created this rule out of necessity. Which is weird because Chicago and Indy are what? maybe 200 miles apart? it doesn't feel like there's a good reason to struggle getting this concept right, but as a native Chicagoan who takes our garbage-style of food very seriously, I can tell you it's genuinely rare that a restaurant here gets it right. Fat Dan's has been on my radar for quite some time. I'll be honest, I've had people tell me I need to give it a shot, but again, I've put up boundaries to avoid getting hurt, and I expect those boundaries to be honored. But I found myself at Fat Dan's with my son because my son has been literally fiending for some good wings, and I've heard good things about the wings at Fat Dan's, so the day of reckoning has come, right? Also, my parents are retiring and moving to Indy as well, so I'm looking for a place that's not a chain to catch the Bears games, and I figured I'd knock these things off my checklist, and also maybe, hopefully enjoy a hot dog. And I enjoyed my hot dog. It was a proper Chicago dog, all the correct topping, correct bun, and yeah, maybe the bun could have used a good steaming, but at $4.95 for a solid jumbo dog and a side of chips, complaining about a minor detail like a steamed bun would feel like nitpicking. So I'll tell you this with a lot of confidence, if you want a Chicago dog here in Indy, this is where you go. It's the best dog, and by far the best price you're going to find. I didn't try my son's chicken wings, but I did try the homemade hot sauce on my fries, and it was a vinegary hot sauce just the way I prefer, so my next visit will very much be one dog each, and a side of wings, and maybe fries too because the fries were also good. It's kind of a neat deal, you order your food, and it comes out mostly on a sheet of deli paper in deli trays, and piles of fries, that's the type of place this is and I enjoyed it a lot. So yeah, we'll be back for the food and the Bears games, or just for a good dog. read more
I met up with friends here on our lunch break and it was really good and fast service! It wasn't that busy which was great. I had a hard time figuring out what to order because everything sounded good. I ended up getting the pulled pork but next time will try the Griffin's Chubby. My friend ordered that and it looked amazing. The portions are huge. We all 3 shared an order of fries. I'm glad I finally had a chance to try this place after so long of wanting to. I'm sure I will be back soon since it is right next door to my friend's work! read more
More info about Fat Dan's
5410 N College Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46220
Meridian Kessler, SoBro
Directions
(317) 600-3333
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https://www.fatdansdeli.com
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