Fatz Cafe' - Lexington, SC Review

Fatz Café is a casual dining restaurant on the southeast coast, sorry to those people up north and out west.  But if you are ever down south check it out!  Anyway, I checked out the website to see how many locations there are.  And at the present time there are 45 currently operating in SC, NC, TN, GA and VA and two under construction.  Fatz truly has something for everyone.

Fatz is a moderately sized restaurant which will take reservations but the seating areas don't really allow for large groups.  We have had dinner gatherings with 15+ people and what they usually do is reserve several booths in the same area.  If you are lucky you will get a corner booth that can accommodate 8-10 people.  There are no tables so you cannot rearrange the seating.  All Fatz Cafes are smoke-free so this cuts down on your wait time because you're not competing with others who are willing to take "first available."  Generally during the busy part of the day/evening you might expect a 20-30 minute wait.  They have a small waiting area and they have several benches outside.  They use the vibrating pager system so you can leave the building while you wait. 

Prices can range from $5-10 at lunch and from $8-15 at dinner per person.  During lunch you can also do one of many combos; which run under $7.  At dinner time you can add chicken and/or shrimp to any entree for an additional $3-5.  Fatz does not include beverages with any special or combo; except for the kid's meals.  I avoid buying sweet tea there because it is about $2.50 a glass with unlimited refills.  That's a bit too much to pay for someone who only drinks before the meal is served. 

We have always had really good wait staff and the service has been wonderful.  To the best of my knowledge each Fatz is locally owned and operated and our location has done a wonderful job in hiring college students and working around their class schedules. The building is always clean and the atmosphere is a down home, feel good environment.  There are classic pictures of days gone by hung throughout and the history of Fatz Café is always somewhere on the menu.  If you have never been to a Fatz Café I would say give it a try.  It's not a cheap place to eat but you will get your money's worth and most people find themselves wanting to go back.

Below are some of the menu items that I have enjoyed thru the years.  *I took all descriptions directly from the website.

Appetizers:

• Fried Green Tomatoes: Southern green tomatoes, hand breaded and fried on top of creamy stone-ground cheese grits with our special Fatz remoulade sauce.
  
  Cheese Fries: This Fatz favorite features crispy fries topped with plenty of monterey jack, cheddar and bacon. Served with ranch sauce for dipping.  **If several are getting fries with their meal we may forego the appetizer and just add cheese and bacon to our serving.

Ribs/Beef

Seafood (I'm allergic to seafood so I don't even explore this part of the menu).

Chicken

Pasta: (When I eat pasta I go after the Chicken Carbonara minus the mushrooms).  Linguine pasta tossed with grilled Calabash chicken, crisp applewood-smoked bacon, sweet cherry tomatoes, garden peas and sautéed mushrooms with our garlic cream sauce. Garnished with parmesan cheese.

Burgers and Sandwiches  (I love a good bacon/cheeseburger)

Signature Salads: I usually get the Calabash Cobb, minus the bleu cheese.  A "classic" Cobb salad with sautéed Calabash chicken, chopped eggs, applewood-smoked bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, tomatoes, cheddar and monterey jack cheeses. Served with a dressing of your choice.

Another item I tend to go after during the colder seasons is the soup and salad combo.  You get a house salad with all the fixin's and a bowl of loaded baked potato soup.  My best friend and I have gotten this recipe down to a science and we now make it at home all the time. 

Okay, have I made you hungry?  Well, then you may need to get to a Fatz Café' real quick.  Go visit a Fatz Cafe or make a return trip.  I guarantee you too will become a regular.

I shall be finishing off my wonderful Calabash Cobb Salad from last night at some point today!