Fat Daddy’s

It’s about as close as I can get to Fudruckers. The food was good and the service was pretty quick on our order. The biggest surprise was the Potato Skins… they were awesome! If they keep this on the menu, we will visit more often.

Though I haven’t tried a couple of the other popular ones, this is my favorite burger spot in Raleigh. I would rank it above 5 Guys, for example. Besides good burgers, the rolls really set them apart. Very tasty baked desserts and pretty good beer selection also.
One downside — if you’re looking for vegetarian options or really anything healthy, look elsewhere.

Used to play pool downstairs all the time. Those guys were awesome. Upstairs they are unemotional, unhelpful and even a little rude. The cheeseburger is pretty plain Jane. Time to step it up with all of the new burger joints around.

An oldie, but a goodie. I do there whenever I can.
Great burgers, tons of toppings, and fun atmosphere. Starting to show it’s age a bit, but still a good place to ear.

Gigantic.
Juicy.
Lots of toppings. I got the hot dog. It was enormous. I got a side of chili to throw on top of it.
All bottled beers, but a decent selection.
Fast service.
I can’t believe I’ve never bothered to go in here. I just thought it was a pool hall or something. Had no idea there were giant burgers and hot dogs that taste delicious.
Reasonably priced, as well.
The tables aren’t über conformable, but whaddya want? It’s a cheap and quick joint for some decent grub. I’ll come back here again.

We love the burgers here. But unfortunately one incident ruined it for me.
The Bad:
I’ve visited the restaurant a couple of times before, so I decided to take the family there after church a couple of weeks ago. As I got closer to pay, I noticed a rather sour look on the cashiers face. I’d seen her before and she appeared to be a manager.
As I ordered she simply looked at me, never saying a word. As I studied her face, it became obvious to me that she was sick. I asked her if she had laryngitis and she nodded her head yes.
I wanted to leave, but against my better judgement I stayed. This same woman was expediting the food order along with another older gentleman.
Fast forward to today, and my family is still fighting the virus that began kicking my wife and I about 6 days after eating there, and I can still barely talk.
Here’s the thing. This lady may have even been an owner, but if an employee at a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT comes in looking like hell warmed over lacking the ability to talk, send them home!
The Good:
The burgers were tasty as always

Nice little burger place that is on the usual lunch rotation. It’s similar in style to another burger chain with a funny name. Order the burger (or other sandwich) and add your own toppings from the topping bar. I am a fan of the cheese sauce on the fries, it makes me happy :) The bun always tastes fresh, and is nicely toasted. The burgers are a little on the plain side, but that’s OK after you dress it up.
Overall, head there for lunch, or a quick dinner. You won’t be disappointed.
*They also have beer.*

Very good burgers that are made to order. Nice sides to choose from and there’s so many items on the fix it bar you could make a little side salad with them! They also have a kids meal/​senior meal that are a smaller burger for a great price that come with a side and a drink and it’s quite filling.
The staff is friendly and keep the place looking good!
I don’t visit here as often as I’d like cos I don’t live in Raleigh, but if I did I would!

Good for burgers, but definitely don’t get the salad here. It’s called «Fat Daddy’s» for a reason.

I do not understand why this is a local favorite for people. I’ve been here twice and was grossed out both times. The only reason I went back for the second time was to give it a second chance thinking they were just having an off-​day…
The burgers are standard burgers and overpriced. The «toppings bar» is just your standard toppings like lettuce, onion, and tomato. Why don’t those come standard on the burger?
I was mainly grossed out with the amount of dust collected on the window sills and «antique» beer bottles around the restaurant. The place needs a décor update and cleaning crew.

The only good thing about this place is it is open late. The toppings bar has wilting produce. The onion rings were a greasy mess. I will need to find somewhere else to go if I am in town. I won’t be back.

This place reminded me of a place back home.
You go in and pick from a small menu if you want a hamburger, steak sandwhich or wings. They have sides of the norm. And everything added is extra ofcourse.
They have an island with additional condiments and extras.
Burger was okay. Was not impressed with my small ½ lb.
I’ve defintiely had better.
They have kid specials on Tuesday and some night stuff going on. The only one I caught was Karaōke on Sundays.
They also have a small bakery section with someone baking fresh goods.

I have been coming here for several years. The positives:
Fresh baked buns made on site. At certain times you smell the bread cooking when you walk in.
A ¹⁄₃ pound hamburger — cooked to order, you have to wait for it and they ask how would you like it cooked.
A ½ pound burger –again cooked to order
A rib-​eye steak sandwich — cooked to order.
Large ¼ pound hot dogs– and ¼ pound sausage dogs in long thick buns.
BEST ONION RINGS in Raleigh.
A toppings bar.
Ice Cream
Grilled Chicken sandwich.
Always very clean
The negatives
Although this doesn’t bother me it, the dining area is a large open, airy, area. I have never had problems hearing conversations with people at my table.
My only real gripe is drink cups are small– you have to keep going back up for refills, however I can live with it.
Here’s how it works– it is simple– when you go it wind your way around to the cash register. The person at the register will ask what you want and they ask how you want it cooked. If it is a burger they will ask if you want cheese on it then what kind of cheese (american, swiss, provolone, or cheddar). If you want chili with your burger or hotdog ask and they will put it on the side. If you want a side order, order it (the meals don’t come with the side included). The cashier asks for your name. You pay, if you got a drink, they give it to you, then you pick out an empty table and go to it. When it is done they call your name you go get your food and go to the topping bar and put what and how much of toppings like mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion etc that you want on your sandwich. Then you get to go enjoy it.
Try this place. It is a nice casual place with reasonable prices. The food is good and it beats chain restaurant food any day.

Stopped here for lunch. It was right next door to our hotel.
Inside was bright & inviting with the yellow tile (reminding me of five guys). Had a good selection on the menu. Burgers, hot dogs, turkey club, salad etc. Sides included fries, okra, onion rings, etc. Everything was priced reasonably.
After you get your food they have a toppings bar with sliced onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, dressings, Cole slaw & more.
Everything taste very good. And was cooked like we ordered.
The restaurant was clean, the bathroom was clean but felt like I was entering a tunnel. After walking thru a yellow hallway I pushed open the door… thought I needed to find a light switch. The bathroom is decorated with black & red tile, grey stalls and purple/​grey ceiling. After my eyes adjusted I could tell that the light was on. The bathroom was clean, just dark.

If you’re on a diet, skip Fat Daddy’s. The burgers and onion rings are big, and the hot dogs are huge. They have a toppings bar, which I’m not a big fan of but it looks like it’s never been touched which can’t be true seeing as how many people dine here. Speaks to how well the staff keeps it clean I suppose. The burgers were yummy and my 12yo always raves about the bread which isn’t your typical hamburger bun. Just be prepared to eat your entire daily caloric intake in this one meal. It’s good, but you’ll need to work it off.

Yet another Raleigh favorite eatery that I had never been to is checked off my list!
I went for lunch on a Monday. Was immediately impressed with the layout and the open feeling of the dining area. Signage was useful for a first timer to know where to go (that’s been a pet peeve of mine in some places where you are supposed to order at a counter). I loved the smell of bread baking that hit me the moment I walked through the doors.
As I came to the counter I mentioned this was my fist time here, and the man behind the counter politely mentioned that they are known for their burgers but have other good choices such as the rib eye steak sandwich. He also mentioned that there is a toppings bar and I was free to put prepare my sandwich as I like it.
I selected the rib eye steak sandwich with fries and sweet tea, found a place to sit and waited for my order to be ready. Minimal wait to go to the counter and pick up the order.
The bun was fresh and delicious, and the rib eye steak was a good sized portion and with a good taste. Fries were done just right.
There is a separate bar & grill downstairs.

Noisy, overpriced & burgers not cooked to order. Pass!
The good: they have a buffet with toppings and sauces for your burger. It also has a limited salad selection. The burgers contain a lot of meat. There is a large selection of bottled beers that includes at least one hard cider (at least when I was there).
The bad: the place is unimaginably loud, and when I visited on a Monday at lunchtime, extremely crowded. The crowd contained a lot of families with ill-​mannered children. Not my cup of tea, though your mileage may vary. Add to this that the burgers come out only one way: overcooked. I asked for medium rare; the server told me quite rudely that the least they will cook it is medium. It was not medium, it was well done. What a waste!
Ah, that brings us to the service. First of all, for the price we paid, I expected to have a server bring us our food. This place is fast food style — line up, order from the cash register, pick it up yourself. Plus the staff were rude.
I don’t have the slightest idea why this place is so beloved. It’s not even very clean.

I was in the mood for some good ol’ grease so I stopped by Fat Daddy’s. The menu isn’t large but offers the classics like hot dogs and hamburgers. I had the rib-​eye sandwich with grilled onions and pepper jack cheese. I absolutely LOVED the topping bar and piled my to-​go box with coleslaw, pickles, and veggies. They also have a wide selection of condiments including melted cheese sauce. All for no additional charge which is awesome. The onion rings were a bit greasy but still good. I was also shocked by the wide variety of craft bottled beer offered for very reasonable prices.
I am very glad that I got my food to-​go. The fluorescent lighting is absolutely atrocious and gives the place the feel of a high school cafeteria. It’s not an atmosphere that I would enjoy dining in but I would stop in again for takeout.

I didn’t know what to expect inside Fat Daddy’s. I heard stories of a toppings bar, and a bar downstairs with pool and foosball.
Inside, there’s a counter where you order. You grab a drink, and then find a table to wait for your name to be called. It has a diner look and feel.
I ordered a medium ¹⁄₃ lb burger with fried okra. I can’t believe there’s a ½ lb burger and people actually manage to eat that, because my burger was huge. I added tomato, lettuce, and pickles at the toppings bar. There is also cole slaw (no chili though, sadly), and I slabbed some on the side. I’m not sure if that’s legal or not, but I consider cole slaw a side dish.
My burger was cooked medium well. In fact, everyone’s burgers seemed to be cooked the same. Ah well. The large toasted poppyseed buns and the toppings easily make up for the lack of flavor in the patty itself.
Next time I’m going to stick with fries and take a chance on their cheese sauce. I heard their onion rings are solid too.
I’m looking forward to checking out the bar downstairs (accessible from the back parking lot) and getting my foos’ on. It’s open till 2am.

I’ve been going to Fat Daddy’s for lunch with my coworkers for over a year now, but I never find myself craving it. The ½ lb burgers are most popular among my coworkers, but I usually go for a veggie burger with one of the sides in an effort to cut back on eating beef.
I wish they had more vegetarian options, because the veggie patty really seems lacking to me. The bun and condiment bar help by allowing you to masque the flavor of the veggie patty, but they definitely focus on their meat products. Their beef hamburgers and corned beef sandwich are very good, and I would recommend these options if you’re planning a trip.
I’ve tried the side orders of french fries, fried okra, and onion rings multiple times without being impressed by any of them. Even compared with other fast food places, I don’t think the quality of their side items stands up. Some of my coworkers love the sides because you can get a cup of cheese whiz from the condiment bar, but I’m not really looking to make my side items even less healthy by dipping them in cheese.
I’m not sure what the motivation behind their soft drink setup is, but their soft drink fountain is set up facing into the employee section. As you approach the fountain, an employee will come over to refill your drink for you. The cups are fairly small, and most people will have to get at least one refill while they are eating. They do a good job manning the fountain, so I’ve never had to wait in line for a refill personally, but I would still prefer an open fountain.
They have a small bakery section in the front of the store, which offers cookies, brownies, mini pies, hamburger and hot dog buns, as well as ice cream. I’ve only tried the chocolate chip cookies (with and without nuts) but they are quite good.
I don’t think I would go to Fat Daddy’s on my own, but it’s not a bad lunch spot if you’re looking for a burger or eating with picky coworkers.