PEANUTS EVERYWHERE!! It's one of those places where you just drop the shells (that's what they're called right?) on the ground. There are tons of stuff on the walls so if you're easily distracted like me, you'll be entertained just by looking at the place. They host local bands most nights, so that's always a plus (If you have the chance to see a band called Stomp Status, DO IT). The crowd is very interesting: it's mixed between college (GMU is literally across the road) and, I'd say, people in their 40's-50's. A friend said that his dad used to go to this bar. They have a pretty large selection of drafts so if you like beer, you'll be happy. Bartenders are OK; they can be slow, both noticing you and getting your drink out. Haven't had the food but I hear it's pretty great. I'd go again to see a band.
Review Source:This is a local hang out, no matter what your age... Â There are really no good bars or local food joints where you can get a good happy hour. Â Â We hadn't been here for months because their food had started to decline a few months back. Â This time, we were determined to enjoy their half price Monday menu. Â Â Once we got there, hmmm, no half price Monday menu but they did have a special where you get a free soup or salad with an entree. Â Their happy drink menus were $3 for beer, wine, rails, hurricanes. Â They lather the tables with peanuts! Â
Yes, it's true, once you walk in, you will feel like you stepped back in time, including the age of the furniture but that's what makes this a local dive bar. Â Â
Last night it was very quiet, so better service for us. Â Looks like the menu had a few changes. Â Â We tried the fried pickles, wings, and the 'red beans and rice'. Â Â We used to get the beans and rice in a cup but that was no longer an option on the menu. Â We also used to get the onion rings, and that is now only available on Wednesdays. Â
As far as the food quality, everything was very fresh. Â The red beans and rice were spot on as far as spice. Â Their garlic toast is the best for dipping in the beans. Â You couldn't ask for anything better and that's why I like coming here.
Dan F (read his angry "now I have kids and life sucks" review) loves the place until they decide not to let his crummy kids hang out. Â GUESS WHAT....there have to be some places where screaming kids aren't allowed. Â Where I can go, get a cheap beer, eat free peanuts and bitch about my life. Â This is that place. Â Decent food, tv's ugly decorations and a video game or two. Â We need these places more than we need another potbelly or pnc bank. Â They always have some good beers on tap and make a roast beef sandwich with real aujus on the side.
Review Source:As a student at GMU we used to frequent Fat Tuesday's to watch bands or just go out for a fun night. Usually had a good time there. Since graduating I've been back occasionally to hang out on the patio, have bowl of gumbo and a few beers. It was always one of those places that we enjoyed hanging out at.
Roll forward a few years, I now have three kids under 6. On Saturday we stopped by there for the first time in a while to grab a quick lunch on the patio. we took the time to unload three kids out of their child seats and take a table on the patio. The only other couple there were looking at our kids saying how cute they were. I went inside to get some service, but...
...it seems the owner has a rule that no kids under 12 are allowed in the place -- even on the patio at noon on a Saturday when the place is empty. HUH?
I've traveled all over the country and all over Europe with the kids and have NEVER been told kids weren't welcomed -- well, they were sort of unwelcome in a coffee house in Vienna, Austria, but the Viennese generally don't like kids anyway ;-). Â As far as Fat Tuesday's goes, I totally understand if it's a rocking Saturday night, but lunch on the patio? You've got to be kidding me!
And besides, what is the point of allowing kids 12 and over but not under 12? If anything a 12+ year old kid will be far more impressionable than a younger kid.
Every other restaurant in the area is kid friendly, so our choices are plenty -- Fat Tuesday's can go the way of Captain Kangaroo as far as I'm concerned.
Best happy hours in Fairfax! Tuesday nights are the best... You buy a $2 wrist band and all rails, beers (draft and bottle), vodka bombs, wine, etc are only $2 each from 3-9pm. They also have food specials like 2 shrimp and clams or something like that. On Thursdays, all vodka bombs are $1 from 7-9pm. That's right, get drunk with $10 (which is the minimum amount they'll swipe your card for). All of Thursday night you get $2 24oz keystones.
The only reason I'm not giving this place a 5 is because the food is pretty bad and expensive. The wings are decent and are only $3.50 on Wednesdays which is a deal. The menu is also half off on Mondays. Oh, and peanuts for free.
This place has it's charms for being a shitty Fairfax dive bar- I've been a regular for about 2 years now and I always find something new to look at... their walls are covered with mardi gras memorabilia, signs, posters, lawn decorations, giant Tabasco bottle, huge lobster, etc... i even think there is a bicycle and horn hanging from the ceiling.
Went to Fat Tuesday's while I was in Fairfax on a business trip... My friend and I both ordered the jambalaya and thought it was delicious... We also ordered the onion rings and they were very good... Love the sauce that came with them... Â We will definitely go back if we're ever in Fairfax again!
Review Source:I cannot believe that I haven't reviewed this earlier! I LOVE this place. The owner looks like Mr. Clean. Â I love the bartender's attitudes. Everything is super laid back and there are nuts all over the floor (in more ways than one, wink wink). The bras decorating the ceiling need to be changed out though. They are nasty, limp and deflated ... much like their previous owners, I'm sure. This is my go-to bar when I can't make up my mind. It never disappoints while Auld Shebeen's and other generic bars sometimes do. The crab dip is good and the beer options are decent. My favorite bartender moved away but that's ok, everything else makes up for it. I've celebrated a birthday or two here and seen a couple friend's bands here. I really liked the one Open Mic Night I went to. I described one woman's voice as sounding "like Christmas" ... granted I had a couple beers on board so my verbal eloquence wasn't very elaborate. The crowd it attracts is excellent for people watching. The counters are sticky and I don't trust the big strips of plastic at the front door (don't let them touch your face, for God's sake ... how many faces have been smeared on them?!). If you enjoy your drinks on the patio, you can watch the freaks file by for Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday at midnight. That's always good for a laugh. I always leave the place smiling for one reason or another. When in doubt: Fat Tuesday's!
Review Source:We went here lastnight, all the food was overpriced and they made us pay a $10 entrance fee for a bad band.
Our server was very nice!
We tried the fried alligator, onion rings and chicken tenders.
Everything but the chicken tenders were alright.
They fried the chicken tenders to an almost burnt brown. Very nasty taste.
By the time we went home we spent the evening and this morning in the bathroom sick to our stomachs!
Never going there again!
I went to see a friend's band play. I arrived a tad bit later than my friends but still in time to see the band. My friends had already ordered food and it was delivered by the time I got there. I ordered one draft drink. Â I later ordered another one for a friend. So two draft drinks. Not too expensive, right? I admit, I forgot to close my tab at the end of the night (I don't go out too often so I'm not fluent in the ways of "bar."). But when I saw my bank statement 3 days later saying that I spent more than $40.00 there, I was furious.
To make a long story short, after many phone calls, I got the explanation that the waiter got me mixed up with one of my friends that ordered a ton of food. They thought the girl had walked out without paying (she did pay, and has the CREDIT CARD RECEIPT for it), so they charged my card. They kept insisting I was this other girl, which I had to explain that no, I am single, and no, I was not with a guy there, that was my friend.
They refused to refund me, saying that my friend is responsible for paying me back.
I find it absolutely infuriating that they will not fix their own mistake. Their charging my card ended up making my account go negative and getting an overdraft fee (I'm poor...which is why I don't go out often).
I will never visit this place again and I have been telling my friends about my issue there. I can't believe anyone would treat their customers this way.
We decided to go here last night for their Tuesday night oysters / happy hour -- it was a great deal but still ended up being very pricey. For a $2 wristband (which we never got) we could get $2 clams (6), peel 'n eat shrimp (1/4 lb), beers, bombs, rail, etc. and they also had $7 oysters on the half shell (1 dozen).
Ambience is not great -- come on, it's a college bar fgs -- unless you like peanut shells all over the floor. But the happy hour food was good: the cherrystones were big and very tasty. The oysters were nice sized; they served them with plenty of horseradish, cocktail sauce, and lemons. We got 5 different types of hot sauces -- one of which was amazing (wish I could remember the name)!
I ordered a margarita on the rocks with salt -- it was the worst margarita I've ever had -- especially for $6.75. The waiter was really nice and had the bartender make me another one when I told him it was awful -- the second one was only slightly better than the first (probably because he didn't charge me for it).
We will definitely go back on Tuesdays and Saturdays (when they have raw oysters). It was a nice neighborhood place, not too loud, and I really appreciated that there were openly gay guys there. Really adds to the scene.
I love reading all the bad reviews of this place. Â It shows me how snooty most people are. Â This place is a DIVE BAR!! Â DUH! Â
You'e not gonna get good service unless you're hot or you know the bartender. And quite honsetly, you're not going to have as fun of a time if you go by yourself. Â Be smart. Â
The outdoor area is a really nice place to chill and they even have heavy-duty heaters for the harsh winter. Â The drinks are reasonably priced, but check your statement at the end of the night.
Stopped in for a beer before meeting up with friends, their cover charge guy had a pretty nasty attitude, so it didn't bode well. Â The service was moderate, but I was hoping for actual glass ware when I pay more than $5 for a $3 draft. Â
The place has potential but was pretty damned empty for a Saturday, and the band was not at their best. Â
On my way out, cover charge guy was staring like I owed him money, possibly looking to start a fight.  I'm glad  I met up with my friends elsewhere, as this one can be given a pass.
This place is seductively charming. Â Unlike a lot of places, the longer you stay, the longer you want to stay. Â Though limited, the food selections are really tasty, the beer selection is amazing, and the servers are very helpful and polite. Â If the servers seem at all scattered, I think it should be understandable given the atmosphere. Â
I am going to amend this review to add that this place is charming, only provided that you might think that a friend's eclectically decorated recroom is charming. Â If you are the sort of person who shuns seaside taverns and is more impressed by glass, chrome an stainless, you might want to steer clear of this place.
I run a social club that meets in a different location every week. Â Among my priorities are easy parking. Â This place could not get easier for parking. Â Being on the rear part of a mall which also contains a movie theater and a Giant Foods grocery store, you should probably give explicit driving directions to anyone you wish to meet there as they may otherwise never find the place.
When they have live music, it is usually too loud for me unless we sit outside. Â When this has happened in cold weather, we have crossed to the other side of the same building where there is a restaurant/tavern called Brion's Grill. Â People who have ordered food there say it is really good, and personally I like the atmosphere there as well, it just does not match the charm of Fat Tuesdays.
So, my ID expires in 2017 and states that I am "not 21 until x/x/2010." However, the license itself is vertical and blatantly states "under 21" in classic Virginia fashion. Bear in mind the date of this review is the same date on which I went to the location, i.e. today. So, what does the bartender do?
He kicks me out for being under 21 and says my license is invalid.
Bear in mind that so long as a license hasn't expired, it's valid regardless of if the card is vertical but the user is now over 21.
I was tempted to make a scene, but I decided to just deny them my business for the night and leave. I'd rather not waste my time with this place ever again. If this review is ever subjected to a contest, I've got an entire crowd of formerly-willing customers to back me up over this interaction as well as another bartender.
Great dive/college bar, good vibe weekend nights, never eaten here so can't comment on the food but happy with the beer (very good selection on draft) and not to expensive, well at least for fairfax
service is always prompt and very friendly, a little quirky but has become our local pub
Went here for a Happy Hour once.. it may have been a Tuesday? Â Honestly, I don't remember, but they had a lot of specials for rails and beers. Â They even had a lot of food specials.
The atmosphere of this place is rather different. Â I've never been to a place where they have a piano and performers in the middle of a room for a Happy Hour. You could request songs, even leave some money in their guitar cases. Â It was pretty unique. Â
One quick tip about this place is that in order to get the Happy Hour prices, you have to pay a fee and then you are eligible for this. Â This is one thing that I didn't know. Â It's a little upsetting, but the fare wasn't too bad (I can't remember the exact price). Â Overall, it's cheap and it still equals a good time.
Yes Fats looks a little grungy. Â It's not just a college bar, there is a good mix of people. They have live music and the service is always good.
The food at Fats in my opinion is worth checking out. Â Where else around here are you going to get a crawfish tail sandwich with a sherry wine sauce they make in-house? Â Or andouille sausage gumbo? Â Or alligator bites? Â This NOLA girl needs her cajun food and Fats is the closest thing to cajun I've found here in Fairfax.
Not only this, but they have great food and drink specials almost every single day. Â The beer selection is probably the best around. Â With several selections from Abita, my favorite, and decent prices.
At this point I see no reason to stop going to Fats. Â The food is good and cheap. Â The beer is good and cheap. Â The people are always friendly.
I cannot fault Fats for being a POS college dive bar, but damn this place is growing on me. Is it possible, am I beginning to love it??? Perhaps the charm is in the fact that there are no pretensions of being anything more than it is? What's more is that there is an eclectic mix of patrons from college students, to white collar folks slumming it. Loving it! I especially like the ad for the drunk taxi that is advertised on the wall above the urinals. They offer to drive you and your car back to your house on those nights where you may have overindulged! Genius!
The best night to come in, and certainly a busy night, is on Tuesday. $2 Tuesdays is such a find with $2 beers, rail drinks, cough syrup-esque vodka shots, 1/4 shrimp plate(winner!), oysters, and clams.
There are also other specials on other nights which are not to be missed. Indeed, Fats is a gem and I'm not just saying that because I like throwing the free peanut shells on the ground! :D
Man, this place really is a 2.5 star place, it's total crap. It is after all a dive though. However, it grows on you. It's the type of crap that has character! Â
Fats is located in University Mall, which I am sure is forever old; Dark, with light coming from their TVs and random spot lights. The floor is covered in peanut shells. There is all sorts of random items, I always seem to find something new - last week it was a trophy and a few bras, yes, bras. This week: random paintings and arcade games in the back.
It's usually been pretty busy and there's usually only 3 servers on the floor, so don't have expectations that they're going to come around often if you need anything.
I've become a big fan of $2 Tuesdays - $2 for a wrist band which means you can have $2 for a plate of 1/4 lb. shrimp, beer, vodka bombs, and who knows what else. It's bar food, again, don't have high expectations, just know that you won't get sick eating here :-)
Also, don't bother with the $2 clams, they are total crap and they will not grow on you. But keep bringing on the plates of shrimp!
Favorite part - Going to see a $2 movie next door at the equally low-key theater. So far, it hasn't gotten old.
One of the last true gems around the Fairfax / Burke area. Â Typical dive bar, however, really relaxed. Â Nice people, decent local music acts play on occasion. Â The food is 50/50, its a bar so if you expect top quality go elsewhere. Â Drinks are reasonably priced and the parking lot is pretty safe...I say give it a chance before bashing it...
Jay
I live in Austin TX so I know bars of all types. Â First I think it's best to review a bar after being there at least 10x so for all of you "first time here...awesome 5 stars" please get-out-of-here. Â I find bars to be much more dynamic than restaurants so I only respect reviews written after several visits to get a general feel of the spot.
I use to live in VA and I've been to Fats prob 100x over the course of 4 years when I attended GMU.
The service I have to admit is very very good. Â They get busy but they do try their best and I like these bartenders. Â My 2 star rating is for the food and such, not the bartenders or servers.
Food is barely acceptable, seriously anyone rating this place 4-5 stars on food should go eat dog food daily and save some $. Â Just giving you advice to save $, not being mean.
I drink Coronas so thats good no matter where I'm at especially if it's Cancun then the Corona is on tap and it is the best beer on earth! Â The food comes out within a reasonable time and it does in fact suck... that is the appeal of this place. Â cheap junky food. Clams are always dry, everything else is super greasy. Â Those of you who say "good food" are being laughed at by the cooks and servers. sorry but you are. Â Have you seen the kitchen?
I don't know why this place got such bad reviews. I've only been here once, but my experience wasn't nearly as bad as others. And, the prices weren't that high either.
I went on a Wednesday night and the regular beer price (not special or happy hour) was $2.75 for Yuengling and all other domestic, while imports were $3.75 I think. Â I had a shrimp po' boy sandwich, and it was about $9. It came with large sized shrimp and the sauce was pretty tasty.
My total bill only came out to be about $14 for dinner. And, they gave free peanuts.
The place looks a little grungy. I would've thought it was a college bar, but it wasn't crowded when I went (Wednesday night after work until about 10ish). They had live music and the service was really nice. Â The only reason I give it a 3 is because it does look a little dive-y. But, that could be the appeal of this place too.
As many places as I end up visiting around the area, this has been one of my main "go to" places for several years now. Â Similarly to Ryan B., I'm surprised at some of the other reviews. Â I think this is due to a few misconceptions about the place.
This is NOT a college bar for most of the week. Â Granted, on Tuesdays they tend to get a college-heavy clientele for the specials offered that day, but the rest of week is mostly an assortment of blue and white collar workers who've known each other for years. Â There's even a very large contingent of police officers and deputies who frequent this place. Â I'd hardly get them mixed up with college students.
I think the appearance of Fats and the location confuse some people. Â Being on the backside of a strip mall which is entirely brown and drab doesn't instill hope into many. Â Being across from a major university would make one think that the place is full of drunken frat kids all the time, but they tend to head a little further north down 123. Â Walking on peanut shells when you come in the door might be a little disconcerting, but people have gone gaga for that at Five Guys for years now. Â I think all these things just make it better.
Fats is not the largest venue in the area, but they do get some surprisingly good bands in. Â From long time local favorites such as Daycare Swindlers and The Silent Critics to national acts. Â Tom Principato even plays there when he's in town. Â You really can't beat a five dollar cover charge to see a band which is playing the State Theater the next night for forty dollars a person. Â This also offers you up the opportunity for autographs and face time which you wouldn't have in a larger place.
The food has always been one of their strong points in my opinion. Â The sandwiches are out of the ordinary for the area and have great flavor to them. Â Where else around here are you going to get a crawfish tail sandwich with a sherry wine sauce they make in-house? Â Or andouille sausage? Â Or alligator bites? Â Not only this, but they have great food specials almost every single day. Â Depending on the night you could be dealing with cheap wings and onion rings or the entire menu could be half price. Â I don't know about other folks, but a filling and tasty meal for five bucks earns at least a star by itself.
The bar portion (the alcohol) of Fats is about what you'd expect for the most part. Â The wine selection is minimal, but that isn't surprising for a place that isn't a wine bar or a steakhouse. Â The hard liquor selection is what you'd expect to find anywhere else in the area and the bartenders do know how to make mixed drinks quite well. Â The beer selection though...probably the best in Fairfax. Â With several selections from Abita and Clipper City, there are more microbrews on draft here than any other places within five or six miles. Â When you take into account how many other restaurants are in that radius, it's quite impressive that they've taken that route.
At this point I see no reason to stop going to Fats. Â The food is good and cheap. Â The beer is good and cheap. Â The people I've met there over the years are some of the best salt of the earth folks you could hope to meet in life and every month there's at least one or two bands performing there that I'd go out of my way to see. Â I'll gladly step on a few peanut shells and deal with the dreary brown outside for all of that.
Wow. I'm shocked at the hate for this place... yeah, it's slightly divey. Granted, some people are scared of bars that are dives, so I understand that. However, I really think people that call this a dive, have never experienced a true dive bar in a city. Try "the Dive" in Philly and tell me this place is a dive. They keep this place clean save for the peanuts on the floor and it's not really that cramped.
If you like greasy, flavorful food. Definitely eat here. Their wings are crispy and full of flavor, always cooked just right. Get them extra crispy for a real treat. The poboys are good, but I bet not very traditional, however for 10 bucks you get a big serving of whatever you order. The Raw Bar is superb, always fresh. I love getting the fried shrimp or crawfish.
However, the one thing that I always get here are the onion rings. Without a doubt, my favorite onion rings of all time.
There's nothing here that's healthy. What so ever. Maybe red beans and rice.. and the raw bar and steamed shrimp. But that's tit
But really, the charm of this place is the happy hours for me. Two for Tuesdays where a beer, liquor drink, wine, vodka shot, shrimp, clams, and oysters are two dollars is a weekly tradition for a group of my friends. Always a good crowd on a Tuesday, Thursdays has something similar, but I always clear out when there's a band, but I just don't like seeing bands play way too loud in small venues anymore. However, they seem to be one of the last places a punk band can play. I often see Daycare Swindlers flyers and wish I still had friends that would go with me to see them there, but it's awesome that they're playing there.
So yeah. Definitely worth at least one night of your life.. especially on a Tuesday.
The wings I ordered ($3.70, plus the 1.00 charge since my credit card purchase was under $20.00, plus another $2.00 tip) came to $6.70, which was the correct math.
But when I went to the bar and ordered a drink the total was 6.50.... I tipped 2.00 (which is, in my opinion, generous for one drink). That makes it 6.50+1.00=7.50+2.00=9.50... So why on my bank statement does it say $11.30?
Screw this place- the beer isn't that cheap and the food isn't anything but average. I didn't have time to go to the ATM, but make sure you do. If I were you, I wouldn't pay anything but cash here. I'm never coming here again and I am determined to get this overcharge settled. If you do in fact end up going here, Â keep your receipts like I did, just in case.
All the naysayers on here have no clue what thy are talking about. Â This bar is filled with awesome people and they always have awesome bands form Reggae to Rock to Punk to Jam Bands and everything in between form local to national acts. Â Always a great atmosphere whether its 3 people or 150. Â
Yes, it's a dive bar but it's an awesome dive bar with lots of character. Â The food is good for bar food but their Gator Bites are to die for. Â This is not a 5 star restaurant but a dive bar with good food and great music. Â Go here every chance you get. Â But make sure you go on a night where there is a music genre you like. Â It's not fair to be negitive when you go on a night where there loud punk rock when you like jazz. or vice versa.
Rock on.
This place sucks to the point where I would be embarrassed if I were a "regular".
I never go to a bar and not have an ounce of fun, but it happened here. Â It is without a doubt a dive bar, but it doesn't have any charm to it so it is a terrible dive. Â The Vienna Inn is a dive bar, but it has character, charm, LOW PRICES, good food, and it is a place that I love going to. Â
The prices are outrageously high, especially for being such a crappy place in Fairfax. Â Their food was awful. Â Bartenders are inattentive. Â The crowd is mixed to the point it will confuse you, just like Sam R. says. Â The live music sucks aside from one band that I saw called Silent Critics who were awesome.
I would without a doubt avoid this place.
It's a dive bar that's trying to be a New Orleans bar that's trying to be a college bar. Â It's located in a strip mall across from GMU down the way from University Theaters. Â It's dark and the floor is covered in bar nut shell and whatever else is down there. Â It's cover from floor to ceiling in New Orleans flair and there are even bra's hanging from the lights.
The place was pretty empty even though it was 10 o'clock on a Saturday night but the band was still cranked up to 11 and the drunken frat boys were still playing air guitar and headbanging to their friends on stage. Â You usually have to pay a cover to get in which was fine.
This is where my night just got ruined. Â So the bar is basically empty so I take a seat near some sorority girls that were out for the night. Â Well apparently the bartenders thought that they were more important than me and my friends. Â We waited for 10 minutes to get a beer until finally we flagged him down to get drinks. Â Then we ordered a pitcher of Bud Light and three glasses. Â It was 16 bucks. Â I have never payed 16 bucks for a pitcher of beer in my life. Â I couldn't believe it. Â Then later in the night we ordered some hot wings. Â The sauce was hot but the chicken was cold. Â How does that happen?? Â When we asked the bartender if we could get some cooked food the cook came out and yeld at us. Â At which point I threw a five on the bar and left with my friends.
Never going back there again.
Great little dive bar, awesome spot to watch a Redskins game if, like me, you'd rather ensure that there won't be a ton of idiot Cowboys/Eagles/Giants fans at the bar than have a bunch of cool flatscreens. Â Every time the 'Skins score, they play hail to the Redskins and spin a wheel of drink specials.
The food is alright, maybe a little overpriced, and the Natty Light on tap is incredibly cheap. Â However, they seem to run out of Natty all the time, and I can't help but feel this is somewhat intentional. Â The rest of the beer is not priced appropriately to how divey the bar itself is.
Still for watching a Redskins game, this bar is great.
This is across the street from the Patriot Center so a good place to go before a show/game. Although small, this is a cozy little bar in a strip mall. You'll get the feeling of an old corner bar in the country. The drinks were really cheap. The bathrooms were clean.
The negatives: The smoking kind of sucked and our waitress dropped our shrimp (Its Ok, she was still really attentive and never let us sit for more than 10 minutes without checking if we needed a refill).
I would definetly go back.
I've been going to Fats for almost 10 years and know several other people who have been going for even longer. That should tell you something about what kind of restaurant/bar it is. It's a fun relaxed place where you can go to have a couple great beers (tons of micros on tap) or watch some good live music. They have a great raw bar on Tuesdays (one of the best in the area) and tons of drink specials almost every night of the week. The food is good and the portions are generous. Very mixed crowd of young college age students and adults but the most laid back crowd i've pretty much ever seen at a bar in the DC area. Always a good time!
Review Source:I'll preface this by saying that I really like dive bars, and I really wanted to like this one. Alas, it was not to be. Where to begin? We went there on St Patrick's Day, Nice green theme with cheap green beer, specials on carbombs, and decent sounding Irish food. This is where the experience went south.
1) We were told that the green beer, at 6 dollars a pitcher, was Bud Light. It wasn't. It was Natty Light. Granted, they both taste like piss water, but there's a difference, and I don't appreciate being misled.
2) Because we thought it was Bud Light, once they ran out of the green beer at like 8 o'clock (inexcusable to run out that early), a member of our party ordered a pitcher, thinking it was going to be 6 bucks. It was 16 dollars. I'll repeat that just in case you missed it. This craphole in a Fairfax strip mall has the nerve to charge SIXTEEN DOLLARS for a pitcher of Bud Light. It's cheaper in DC, for christ's sake!
3) The service was godawful. Having to wait 15 minutes before a bartender acknowledges your presence is inexcusable, even on a major drinking holiday. The place was crowded, but not that crowded.
4) The food. A couple members of our party ordered the Reuben. Bread wasn't toasted, corned beef was cold, and the whole thing just looked totally unappetizing. I had the chicken fingers, which were home-breaded, and actually pretty good. They'd have been better if the food didn't have to sit in the window for 20 minutes, being ice cold by the time I got it. It would have been longer had we not pointed it out to the bartender. I think they'd have just let it sit there all night if we didn't notice it. Again, no excuses. What kind of bartender can't even remember which corner of the bar ordered something? Ridiculous.
This place just sucks. I managed to have a good time anyway, because it was St Paddy's Day, and I wasn't going to let a crappy bar ruin it for me. However, that had everything to do with the people I was with, and absolutely nothing to do with the bar itself.
Avoid at all costs, half a star.
A good theme and lots of promise but Fat Tuesdays just does not amount to much.
The food freaking sucks. Â I have eaten here at least 10 times. Â Its just not good and boy do they sure charge prices like there cooking you something good!! Â They used to have really cheap steamed shrimp for happy hours, that was there only saving grace and I guess times have changed. Â
They used to have a good beer collection but everytime I go they seem to have less and less. Â They only had 1 Abita last time I went and this is a new orleans themed bar. c'mon.
As a dive bar and NOT a restaurant I used to like this place. Â But they charge quite a bit for drinks. Â You know what, this place just sucks. Â Throw peanut shells on your basement floor and stay home. Â Dont expect bartenders to give you advice on ordering beer. Â I got a one word answer last time "I dont know" Â Hey, if your a bartender and dont know the properties of your own beer you should probably consider another profession.
Holy amazing.
Despite having lived within 2 miles of the place for six years (and closer than that for a good chunk of time), I never went in. Â Until tonight.
Right away--I know I'll like this place: there's outside seating and the bouncer is not a dick. Â Upon entrance, it looks as a bar should when located in the fairly rundown University Mall. Â Grab a couple of Abita Restoration ales (a totally strange beer to have on tap here) and have a seat. Â We spent the first hour or so eyeing the olympic games on multiple flatscreens, looking over an impressive menu with an incredible Tuesday "$2 almost everything" happy hour mentioned, and listening to a very good cover band, DESTRO.
By the end of the night, I am enthralled with this place. Â Maybe it's the band playing great alt rock hits from the 80s and 90s. Â Maybe it's the 85lb stripper-possibly-hooking who's been dancing around (6 inch clear platform heels? Â c'mon--we know what's up). Â Maybe it's the diverse cast ranging from the stripper to the fraternity scene to the couples in their 40s and even some metal heads all mingling together.
The drinks are a bit pricey (for the scene--about average for Fairfax--plus there's a $1 charge for using a credit card), the tables are sticky, the floor is covered in peanut shells, the band played a big part in the fun, and it's generally divey enough that a random stripper feels comfortable shmoozing her "client" here tonight, but I can't help but want to come back to a place that gets everyone singing "Pour Some Sugar On Me" in unison by last call.
PRICE LIST
(Friday Night)
Abita Restoration Ale - Draft: $5
Coors Light - Bottle: $4
Southern Comfort - Shot: $5.75
Golly - am shocked reading the other reviews?
I was there this year (2008) for Fat Tuesday and had a wonderful time, reminded me how much I used to love this place in the early 90's and that I want to go back again soon. Previously had been there about 5 or 6 years ago to see a friends band play - and had a good time then too.
This year, we and 5 friends got there about 5:30pm and the music started about 6:15ish. We ended up finally leaving about 9:30, but really wished we could stay longer.
The food was delicious - from the apps to the maincourse.
Love the mix of music and people - every one was friendly and good people watching too.
This place is a dive..and not even in a good way. It is located on the rear (hee, she said "rear") of University Mall. Often, if we go to a late movie over at University Theater in the same complex, we hit this spot for dinner or a cold one and I am always disappointed.
The decor is mostly what you would expect from a place called "Fat Tuesday." There are beads hanging from the ceiling and the wall. There is also a clock that is constantly counting down to Mardi Gras.
Good points? Well, they do have decent bands come in and play live on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Also- their happy hour deals are sweet- two buck  domestic beers (or two fifty for a micro brew or rail drink). There's also food specials like half price Po' Boys...but the food is awful here.
I haven't been to Fat Tuesdays in many, many years ... and this past weekend I was reminded why I hadn't been to this place in many, many years.
While I can appreciate a good dive bar with the best of them, what I can't seem to get past with this place is the crowd ... which is to say, eclectic. Think pseudo biker bar mixed with AARP cougar convention with a dash of college students mixed in. Throw in the random guy sitting in the corner in a suit working his laptop and Blackberry feverishly, and you've got a clear picture of the scene. Not pretty my friends, not pretty.
The only plus is the happy hour specials on the micro brews. And oh yeah, the free peanuts... shells on the floor, of course.
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