Was pleasantly surprised at outside street corner seating with partial views of the lake. Waitress was really nice. Drinks were good - I had CA IPA and she had Moscow mule (cool mug). For dinner, we had with lettuce wraps, beef sandwich au jus, and hot wings (don't judge me)
All were good - I would go back.
I feel like I am doing a slight injustice by only giving this place 4 stars considering what an AMAZING Fat Cat Mac n' Cheese they have!
I was pretty happy to find that they were extremely accommodating to our group of 8 even though the place actually has very few tables and is more of a bar / lounge. Of course, I was drawn here because of good Yelp ratings, but after a 3 hour bike ride, our group was pretty much ready to scarf down anything.
We were quickly seated somewhere mid-afternoon ish time, and we were fed water probably a good 4/5 refills until we finally made up our minds about what to order. We ordered and the food took a little while, but once it came out everyone was too busy scarfing to even speak.
I actually didn't get the Mac n' Cheese to begin with because I was attempting to be healthy. However, a friend got it next to me and I tried some ... and was sold! I love the combination of the flavors, the smokey bacon, the crispiness of it, and the gooey, cheesy noodles along with mushrooms adding that extra kick. GOODNESS I'm drooling.
Highly recommended, great staff, and yummy food!
Tahoe City doesn't have a whole lot of great dining options according to Yelp, so The Fat Cat stood out with it's four stars. Fat Cat is a cozy gastropub with occasional live music, and for a nice casual sit-down dinner or a few drinks with friends, it gets the job done in a jiffy.
They make the Fat Cat signature burger sound really delicious, but in the end it was just A-OK. It's described as having cherrywood-smoked bacon, Tallegio cheese, and a sweet onion marmalade. The Tallegio is a white cheese, and like all white cheeses, it was hard to detect the flavor. So too was it hard to detect the sweet onion marmalade, other than a faint sweetness that lingered all burger long. The bottom bun started disintegrating, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. The meat itself wasn't anything spectacular either. All of these things make the $12 price tag a hard swallow. For the quality, this should be an $8 burger. The fries that came with the burger were a bit too salty, as well.
Our server was sweet, and the bartender was a cool guy. Not sure what their happy hour situation is, but we ate an early dinner at about 5 p.m. and my pint was only four bucks. All in all, my meal was good, just not the $12, gourmet hamburger I was truly hoping for.
Fat Cat is one of the better casual places to eat currently in Tahoe City. Â As a "part-time" local, I have eaten at pretty much every place in Tahoe City. Â The Fat Cat is a nice addition with a good selection of draft beer and fantastic burgers and sandwiches. Â It is also very reasonably priced. Â Service is good, although the waitress forgot to bring us our Thai Lettuce Wraps when we were there last time. Â Still, that would not deter me from going to Fat Cat again and again.
Review Source:Stopped for lunch based on Yelp reviews and was not disappointed. The food was fresh, well prepared, and all three of us enjoyed what we ordered, including my husband who is very hard to please. Brisa, our server, was attentive, friendly, and made our visit to The Fat Cat very pleasant.
Review Source:Stopped by here on a Sunday night on our way back out of town. We were surprised to see that they had a nice happy hour menu that ran from 4-close on Sundays.
In the 2 times that I've been here I've thoroughly enjoyed my meals. Today I got the buffalo wings (5 for $4) and the Fat Cat burger that comes with a couple giants pieces of the tastiest bacon I've ever had.
Fat Cat Cafe is a must visit in Tahoe City.
If "Meh. I've experienced better" is what 2 stars really means, then yes... I have definitely experienced better. Â And worse, for that matter.
The atmosphere here is very cool. Â And the artwork on the walls was so interesting, I seriously considered buying a piece.
I ordered the tacos. Â The meat seemed old, as if cooked yesterday. Â And it was JUST the tacos. Â Nothing to write home about. Â No special sauces or anything. Â If I remember correctly, the lime wedge was bone dry.
My niece ordered the pot stickers, which looked pretty good. Â Wish I could remember what my sister in law ordered!
I'd come back and have a few drinks, and consider the artwork again, but I'd skip the tacos.
I'm not a regular Yelper. I either have to be EXTREMELY IMPRESSED or really disappointed. Well Fat Cat blew me away. While visiting Tahoe City my boyfriend and I walked in by chance. Hungry and looking for WiFi. The waitress Brisa was amazing! Friendly and fun with a great sense of humor! So service was great! Now for the food... nothing short of AMAZING! Sweet Potato Fries were fresh and crispy! The Buffalo Chicken Sliders had the perfect kick of spicey but not to the point were your mouth is on fire. Which is perfect for me! And the last item we had was the pot stickers. The pot stickers were fresh and cooked to perfection! And the dipping sauce wasn't overly salty, it had a very pleasant balance! I give this place 10 stars if I could! Amazing food, great service/hospitality, and a great enviroment!
Review Source:Good food and better prices. We came during happy hour and had a blast.
$2 draft Miller during happy hour turns into $3 draft Miller after happy hour. They've got several other beers on tap, which we took advantage of when the High Life ran dry.
The Fat Cat Mac was filling, but not as exciting/fun/jazzy as its name might imply. Seems to be a little overhyped on Yelp.
Fat Cat Burger was scrumptious. Burger itself wasn't huge, but they cooked it real nice. Recommend springing for the sweet potato fries, they were a hit. Not sure I could taste the special "curry salt" though.
Limited tableage and they don't take reservations. No problem seating 7 on a Saturday afternoon though. Service was very friendly and attentive.
We enjoyed ourselves and the bill was easy on our collective pocket. Will be back.
So we randomly decided to head up to the snow from  sactown and was starving by the time we got to tahoe city.  we looked up a place to eat on good ole yelp, and settled on the Fat CAt.  yelp did not let us down.  The place is actually  kinda small.  i was expecting like BJs ginormous size dinning areas, but it was a cozy and warm space.  The have a small good looking bar and a few high tables that seats two and a handful of  regular height tables that can seat four.  when i was reading some of the reviews, it seems like  the emphasis is on the "bar" and not so much the "grill", but wow, they really surprised me with their food, it was really tasty.  We started with the mac and cheese with bacon and mushrooms.  I thought the mac and cheese was ok....not the best but not the worst.  It was very saucy, and kind of loose, it needed to be baked, and i don't think that was done.  They were really busy and it seemed like they were short staffed, so i guess they didn't have they time to finish off the mac and cheese in the oven, but i didn't mind it was still pretty good, the bacon they use is good quality, thick cut and meaty! yum. i do live in america afterall, so you know, gotta show the bacon some love!  we also ordered their signature burger and the blackened chicken club sandwich.  The burger was bomb! one of the best burgers I've had! The burger was seasoned well, again  good thick bacon, fresh soft bun, and fresh lettuce and tomato! it was so good and it was huge! i had to take the other half home.  I also got to share the blackened chicken club, everything was fresh and seasoned every step of the way, i loved how they toasted the bread all  golden and buttery! only complaint is that, the chicken itself was maybe just a tad too salty.  The place a very laid back feel, with reggae music on stereo.  Only reason this place is not a five star, is that it is a bit pricey in my opinion.  this was a good find on our spur of the moment trip to the snow. yay!
Review Source:Let me preface by saying this is the ONLY negative review I have yet to post on Yelp.
After not receiving any service after 15 minutes, we left.
I am the last to give bad review or to be harsh on wait staff, but this place was horrible. This is  not an appropriate venue for families with children or groups larger than 5 people. While we waiting for service, a large family came in. Instead of attempting to accommodate this party, which included 5 young children, the staff was indifferent and rude to them.
This place seems as though it is attempting to appeal to a "hip" crew, but in reality, its inability to serve patrons within a reasonable amount of time makes this attempt at "coolness" seem even more pathetic and reminiscent of a poorly choreographed middle school popularity contest.
Wait time for brunch in Tahoe on a Sunday morning: ridic.
We came into the Fat Cat because it was not crowded and we needed some fuel before cheering on our fellow friends at Tahoe Tough Mudder. Â In fact it was pretty empty. The menu is a little scattered in terms of cuisine - Thai stuff, sandwiches, burgers, ahi tuna...
I got the club chicken sandwich which was honestly on the salty side. Waitress was friendly but then it started getting crowded & she was still the only one.
Nice little spot to perhaps check out at night, when the booze is flowin.
Great location, near the lake (depending on how the cars are parked you can have a great view). Good service, good vibe, yummy food, we'll be back! My hubby had a black and blue burger that he was really happy with(and it was HUGE). I had the Winter Cran and it was delicious! I will admit though that a place near where I live makes a similar sandwich that edges this out. But still good. It is a little dark, and definitely feels like a bar serving food.
Review Source:We had lunch here recently with 6 of us ladies. Everyone Loved their food. I had the Winter Cran -Boar's Head oven roasted turkey breast, Havarti cheese, house-made cranberry relish & mayo served on toasted ciabatta  $10 served with sweet potato fries with cilantro dipping sauce. OMG!!! The best sandwich I've ever had!
Mac n Cheese is also very good. I will definitely be back in February!
This review is for the service. Dog-accompanied, we waited for the waiter to seat us on the patio. We got a "I'll be right with you". One long, leisurely conversation with his table and a few other customers later, and he disappeared into the back without a word. Frustrated and hungry, we left and went across the street. Â We wanted to like you, Fat Cat, and you failed to even provide us the opportunity.
Review Source:Great place to wait out an unexpected hailstorm! Â Food was tasty, the bar had an interesting selection of beers (including local fave PBR), service was friendly. Can't give 5 stars since they were out of ribs.
Blackened chicken sandwich had good complex flavors; sweet potato fries were excellent; caprese sandwich was a little too wet but tasted great; the regular fries were just regular.
I really hate giving bad reviews, but when I experience some of the worst service I've ever had, you know I've gotta consult to Yelp.
Two friends and I decided to eat dinner here after reading the reviews on Yelp. The place was pretty quiet for a Friday night, as we were the only ones eating any food.
We ordered an appetizer of pulled pork tacos, 2 salads (as entrées), and a sandwich. Easy enough order, right? Our pork tacos took 45 minutes to come out, and when she finally DROPPED them on the table, they were cold! The meat was super dry and hard to swallow but at this point we were starving. She also seemed very angry about bringing us side plates by her remark of "oh, you're sharing? I guess I'll bring some plates". Uhh...doesn't everyone share appetizers?! About 1 bite into our tacos, our entrées come out. My salad and my friends salad were completely over dressed to the point of burning our mouths, and were piled high with about 200 dried cranberries. My salad had about 3 walnuts, and my friends had an over abundance. Talk about inconsistency. We were still hungry after this terrible meal, and were excited to order the Mud Pie, but before we could, the server literally threw the check onto the table and walked away. So much for dessert...we were flabbergasted by her horrible service, and walked out of there immediately after paying. I can say without a doubt, this was the worst service I can ever remember.
I would never recommend anyone to go here.
We have been by this place many times and never stopped in. From the street it looks like a takeout picnic place. So when we did,, it was great. Full bar hi-top tables and regular stools too. We had the Pasole soup (excellent) Cajun chicken club (excellent) Sweet potato fries(great) potato salad(real good)
A few days later we returned for lunch..I know stupid us,, but Still great.. Fat cat Mac is great. Turkey and cran sando is damn good. Roast beef Sammy was the shit too. Next I want to try the Lettuce wraps and the egg roll things.. Cool place..
We walked into an empty place at 2:30 pm and it was very dark inside. We sat down next to the window with a nice view of the lake. The server was very friendly as we ordered the turkey sandwich and pesto chicken sandwich (with goat cheese! YUM) with sweet potato fries and a bowl of tomato basil soup.
The food was pretty good and the fries were amazing. If you are looking for a place to just pop into for some decent food and a nice view of the lake, this is a good cafe to be at.
I love this place, and I had no idea I would. Â We were in town for a few days and stopped here (planning to drink and eat some crappy bar food) - but we were REALLY surprised, because the food was really really awesome - and a bunch of good beers to choose from too.
If I open a restaurant, this menu is what I would want.
I decided to go to The Fat Cat because it was close to my condo at Alpine Meadows and it closed later than the other places I looked up.
James, our server was the BOMB! My friends and I decided to go to The Fat Cat for dinner (total of 12 ppl). I think James was a bit shocked that 12 ppl was coming into a small dinner/bar place right before closing. He was very attentive and tried to take care of us as well as the room full of customers. He spent time to come to us and tell us there is only two chefs and our food will come out as soon as possible. It is understandable, we were patient but starving!
My boyfriend ordered the chicken masala ($12) and I ordered the turkey sandwich with cranberry ($10) and a cup french onion soup ($5).
My boyfriend's chicken masala was unique and interesting (in a good way). Â My turkey sandwich was very juicy and not dry as I thought it might be. The french onion soup on the other hand was not good at all, it was really salty and I felt there was something missing (but don't know what).
All of my friends seemed very satisfied with their dishes (lasagna, mac and cheese were a few of the things they ordered).
Also, during the time we were there, the rugs was giving off a horrid smell, but you can't help that when it was snowing outside and people are coming in with dirty wet boots making the smell come out more than usual.
Overall, GREAT service, GOOD food and GOOD atmosphere.
I heard their specialty is Fat Cat Mac, I didn't try it, but my friends said it was better than the mac and cheese they had in the Bay Area (better than Homeroom)!
The Fat Cat burger is one heck of a great burger! Was expecting a good burger from the reviews but this one really surprised me.
Great spot, good service, and it's not going to put a bullet through your wallet just to eat here!
The sweet potato fries were killer too, but you can already see that from a lot of the other reviews.
My focus for this review is the Fat Cat burger since it surprised me so much with how damn good it was.
Took forever to seat us. Couldn't be more disinterested in our patronage. Would not accept my recently expired ID... despite me coming here for my bday dinner. My bf left to go get it from the hotel after putting our order on hold. Sat there with out food, or an apology  watching my boyfriend's beer for 20 mins, feeling like a total ass in my bday outfit and makeup! I looked and felt so out of place!
Thought the macaroni truffle thing was supposed to be amazing and was beyond disappointed! Â Sadly, the rest of our dinner was terrible, too. Â The manager or owner didn't bother to make anything up to us... truly, crappy bday dinner. Â Luckily, we went out in SF, where we live, where they know customer service and GOOD food.
We rolled in here with 2 kids on a random Monday for lunch. Though it is in a strip mall, upon entering you immediately feel like you could be in a big city.
Super friendly service, great menu for kids and adults.
I had the ahi tuna tower, was fresh and delicious. My daughter's macncheese was crazy good and we argued over the last bite, she won. We all loved the sweet potato fries.
One improvement could be made on seating, the comfy chairs are done and leave one sitting to low for the table.
We will be back for sure.
Having watched the Super Bowl today reminded me that the Fat Cat would've been a perfect spot for doing that back in Tahoe.
It's a cool spot to hang out. Casual environment.. Comfy chairs to sit and cozy tables to share over a romantic conversation.
We walked in to a group of happy patrons drinking beer and munching on their famous Mac N Cheese. The waiter said it will be very rich and creamy. That they make their own cheese. AND that it does come with bacon.
He's right. it was rich and excellent. Â I can feel my arteries clogging while I was enjoying it. Â It comes in a small square bowl but after munching on the $8.00 plate of Sweet potato fries I was too full to finish my order. They have a version of their sweet potato fries. It comes sprinkled with some curry. Overcooked and Not to my liking :( I prefer my sweet potato fries virgin style. Just a sprinkle of salt and nothing else! but company enjoyed it!
We also ordered the Lasgna. Now this is the least of my favorite. It's bland. Â 'Nuff said!
Parking is tricky here. Staff is friendly and happy to be working there.
Great post-snowboarding comfort food! Â We were starving after our day in the snow and ordered the following:
- Calimari: Â A must-order. Â This was some of the best fried calamari I've had! Â The spicy marinara was delicious and we inhaled our order.
- Sweet potato fries: Pretty good! Â I liked the dip. Â I'm not sure what it was, but it tasted a little like curry.
- Mac & cheese: I thought the mac & cheese was just ok. Â It was a little bland for my taste, and I think it could have been a bit saltier. Â Great creamy texture, but minus points for flavor.
- The fungi sandwich: Carmelized onions tossed with a mix of sauteed mushrooms and brie on foccacia. Â Delicious! Â I would order this again.
- French onion soup: A disappointment. Â It was way too salty, and though I was craving soup, we didn't finish our cup. Â
- Mud pie: Delicious! Â Yes, it was cold outside, but the mud pie was worth it. Â Delicious oreo crust and creamy coffee ice cream. Â We finished every bite!
My other friends got the roast beef sandwich and the cream of mushroom soup and loved both!
For drinks, one of my friends ordered the drink with hot coffee alcohol drink with Bailey's (delicious!) and I ordered the hot apple pie (not so much - VERY alcoholic... I wouldn't get it again).
Great atmosphere with a fireplace and a full bar, but we didn't much care for our surly waitress or the weird stinginess with giving us extra plates (weird... there was definitely no shortage).
We make Fat Cat a consistent stop each week when in Tahoe City. Â As continuing patrons, the staff immediately recognizes us and greets us with a smile, a cocktail nap and our favorite beverages.
Flat screens surround the bar and dining area if you want to view your favorite game or fuelTV. Â
Prices are most fair. Dine with your partners or get a sandwich-to-go. The Turkey-cran sand is killer.
All ages and genders go to Fat Cat. Hope you enjoy, we do always!
After a long weekend with the crew, my honey and I wanted to grab lunch on the way - before hitting the 4 hour drive home. We walked along CA-89 and found the Fat Cat Cafe.
We wanted to watch a bit more of the 49ers game and this place had HDTV at their bar and we found a table right smack in the middle. Our server was nice and got our drink order right away and let us look at the menu. I had a craving for a grilled cheese sandwich and got that along with a side of pasta salad (which comes with). My grilled cheese was delish - a mixture of cheddar and gruyere! YUM! The pasta salad had pesto and sundried tomatoes. My honey enjoyed his Turkey Cran sandwich and potato salad.
It was a perfect place to enjoy the game, eat great good, and spend the afternoon with my honey. It is a small little place, but full of good foods and drinks!
Cheers!
I'm going to let bygones be bygones with this business.
Honesty: the food can be really hit-or-miss. I would suggest dining in versus carrying out for maximum taste. (When I did the carry-out, it was generally soggy and there is a lot of confusion regarding sides, etc.)
When they're good, the sweet potato fries are AMAZING. The Fungi sandwich is also really good, but again: soggy unless you eat it there.
They have decent drink specials during happy hours, too, like $2 PBR.
Overall, I don't see myself continuing to dine with this establishment, as I feel there is better stuff (and service) elsewhere around North Lake.
After a weekend of camping and backcountry skiing, our group wanted some good gourmet food and decided to give Fat Cat a try...we were not disappointed.
Ordered the mac-n-cheese (we licked the bowl) for all 4 of us to share, the chopped salad (HUGE and tasty), hot roast beef sandwich (amazingly good), veggie sandwich and turkey classic. Â The quality and quantity of food was impressive- and at very reasonable prices. Â I liked the overall atmosphere as well- like a cafe (with couches and tables) but I would stick to the tables near the windows, as it gets a bit dark towards the back.
Had a sweet piping hot mocha as well-- totally hit the spot. Â Service was very friendly. Â Definitely recommend Fat Cat for lunch.
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