The Fat Hen

Not to be confused with the Little Red Hen in Green Lake, The Fat Hen in Ballard is the perfect breakfast spot. The Cliff notes version of Fat Hen would be: order one of the baked egg dishes and get a cup of their drip coffee.
The Fat Hen is wee in size with a limited number of tables that are scrunched together. But even so, the two times we came here, we did not wait long to be seated. Service is friendly. It is also very efficient. Operations run smoothly and orders come out quickly.
I especially liked the frequent coffee refills (a perfect way to a man’s heart). The coffee, smoothed with a spot of cream, is distinctive in flavor in a French Roast sort of way. Oh something else I really like about The Fat Hen, the background music is light, pleasant and unobtrusive.
Ah yes, those egg bakes. I’m in love with the Alla Boscaiola. Brought out in a little iron skillet with the handle sheathed in a rubber (or synthetic rubber as the case may be), the Alla Boscaiola is comprised of mushrooms and sausage, topped with over-​easy eggs and in an oh-​so-​delicious hearty tomato and mozzarella sauce. Accompanying the Alla Boscaiola is an excellent crunchy baguette.
Speaking of the baguette, if you get one on the side, it is accompanied by the perfect quantity of butter and raspberry jam.
Another highly recommended dish is the Benedict with pancetta (you can get your benedict with salmon or avocado if you wish). With your Benedict, you can have either roasted new potatoes or a green salad. The potatoes are delightfully and lightly seasoned, and the dressing for the salad just right, not too tart.
I’ve also had the Cotoletta here. This is breaded veal with a salad. While the portion of veal is very generous — and the seasoning excellent — my veal was a bit on the overdone and dry side.
Next time I am here, I would like to give the carrot and beet soup a crack. Either that, or the In Carrazza baked eggs, which is two eggs on ham with smoked mozzarella cheese. Little Red Hen is worth the drive to faraway Ballard.

This is such a cute little place for brunch.
We came here on a Friday and it was really busy. I like how you can get coffee or water while you wait. There’s a little coffee/​water stand right outside the door.
I got a vanilla latte and the alla boscaiola egg bake. The egg bake did not disappoint. There was enough bread to dip into the bake and scoop up some delicious sausage in tomato sauce and runny yolk. The bf got the pancetta egg Benedict with potatoes. You can have the choice of potatoes or a salad. I tried his egg Benedict and it was really tasty. I am a huge fan of pancetta so I was happy without the traditional ham for this dish. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and really soft on the inside which I liked.
This place is really small so I wouldn’t recommend for a large party unless you want to wait a long time.

My all time favorite brunch joint. I love their egg bene! However, be ready to wait in line on a busier day. In line, they are usually good about offering drinks.

Came to the Fat Hen for a late Breakfast. It was excellent! The food was really tasty and the coffee was yummy. It’s a smaller space so won’t be good for a large party but if you are looking for a breakfast date or maybe even a quick coffee it’s perfect.
TLDR: if you are are unfamiliar with this restaurant… familiarize your self.

The early bird gets the worm. Okay, maybe not the case here. The wait is almost always at least an hour whenever I visit. But still, once you’re seated, it’s all worth it. I’m not a morning person if I can help it, but I will be for this little place. Delicious coffee, fresh squeezed OJ, and perfectly cooked/​seasoned food to fill your happy stomach. I always order the avocado eggs Benedict with potatoes on the side, but I will say the egg bakes are to die for. Say yes to breakfast at The Fat Hen, you won’t regret it.

Amazing food, good service and cute space.
The Hollandaise sauce was the best l’ve ever had and the eggs were perfectly poached.
The only thing that we didn’t love was the tables were so close together it was hard not to listen to the person next to us describe her love life in detail.

So simple, yet so beautifully executed!
We came here for breakfast not just once, but TWICE on our 5 day trip to Seattle! The boyfriend claims these are the best eggs benedicts he’s ever had, and while I have to disagree, the Fat Hen outshines numerous other breakfast spots we’ve been to.
The poached eggs are absolutely perfect. Plump and runny upon slicing open, and the hollandaise is light and delicate. We tried both the prosciutto and pancetta and we can’t decide which one is better. If you’ve got a partner, just order both and do a quick tradesies.
There will probably be a wait if you’re not there right at opening, but you can also write down an order for coffee next to your name on the wait list so you’ll have a drink hand delivered to you. Genius.
Parking was a breeze, but that may be due in part to the closure of other businesses across the street for the holidays. Lots of street parking in the surrounding area, however. Definitely recommend checking this place out for breakfast if you’re an egg lover.

«Worth the wait for a wholesome meal.»
Simple location, wholesome breakfast menu, and tons of street parking makes The Fat Hen an ideal brunch spot for the lazy weekend day. The wait can be can long and standing outside in the freezing temperature can be a turn off for some. To those who wait are rewarded with delicious food and a decent selection of drinks and pastries.
We arrived for brunch at around 11:50 AM and immediately placed our names with the server. We were quoted a 1 hour wait time. The establishment is small and benches we located just outside the door for anyone willing to wait. The quoted time was apparently worst case scenario as we found ourselves seated within 30 minutes. The drink board provided a decent selection between coffees, teas, wines, and a few cocktails. The brunch menu was simple and offered salads, variations of eggs benedict, poached egg dishes, pastries, yogurt, and lunch specials. I ordered the eggs alla boscaiola, parchment potatoes, and the freshly squeezed orange mimosa.
The eggs alla boscaiola was reminiscent of a shakshuka. The dish was a hearty blend of tomato sauce with sausage, mushroom and mozzarella served with a sliced half baguette. The eggs were nicely done and the flavors were excellent blend savory and richness. The parchment potatoes was tender and well-​seasoned with thyme and sea salt. The dishes were served still piping hot and the simplicity was something I really appreciated. The mimosa was freshly made with real oranges served generously. The service was excellent and prompt. It was the simple touches such as asking how the meal was going or proactively bringing a condiment to our table that made the difference.
My overall verdict, this spot was a good choice for our first meal in 2016.

The Fat Hen is a cozy/​friendly brunch place located in a neighborhood in Seattle. I’ve always wanted to try this place because of how good the food looked and the place itself. I recently went with my friend during break.
We ordered the pancetta egg Benedicts and the in camicia which comes with two eggs in solea tomato, basil, mozzarella. Both were very delicious and filling! The price range is a little on the pricey side but I think it’s definitely worth to try for a brunch place.

Sure. It’s a little pricey. The food sounds simple. But it’s brunch! If you wanted to wake up at 11am and make eggs benedict or bake some eggs at home you would. But you don’t want to because it’s too early to do anything but enjoy good food so you end up at the Fat Hen, where it’s hopefully an off day like when I went and there is absolutely no wait, lest you turn into a hangry hen searching for her eggs.
I’m going to assume on weekends parking may be difficult to find in the area because it’s nestled in a somewhat residential area and that the wait will be long because there isn’t a large seating area. But when my party and I ordered and we got our food soon after; their cortada was amazing too! I am still dreaming of the creamy cheese from my egg bake it was that good!
Tldr: hungry for brunch, order an egg bake from the Fat Hen!

I was beckoned here for a client-​brunch-​meeting. I know I’m going to be in the minority when I say I was taken aback by the simplicity of their dishes, yet with almost staggeringly high price points. Methinks this is marketed to a crowd of neuvo-​riche condo-​dwellers with no time (or will) for cooking… or experimenting with food.
I find it kind of sad in a way that The Fat Hen offers to its patrons, what patrons should really be doing themselves, or learning to do at the least (either over wine or morning coffee with friends… at home). But then again, if there’s a need there’s a market. Such being the case, The Fat Hen supports that demographic — even if it means waiting around for 45 minutes, then another 25 minutes for a basic salad, an Eggs Benedict and a baked-​eggs-​sausage hot-​pot thing.
My end experience is it’s a tiny hipsteresque café, where exciting food only exists in the form of quazi-​experimental menu descriptors. Items most people can easily make themselves, for ¹⁄₁₀ the cost, 1% of the hype and a much faster turnaround.

Totes adorbs! :)
Really enjoyed my time here. The décor is so clean, simple, and inviting. I ordered the baked eggs in the sausage and mushroom tomato sauce and have recreated the meal at home 4 or 5 times already. (None were as successful as the Fat Hen’s version)
The place is on the small side, so weekend brunch likely results in a long wait. Mid day brunch however, we were in and seated immediately.
Service was friendly, food was delicious! Thumbs up!

This is the cutest place! It’s on such an unassuming street in Ballard. Fat Hen is a force to be reckoned with, the quaint eatery had a line of people waiting before their 8am opening. There were fresh pastries being baked as I walked — cardamom cinnamon rolls and pumpkin spice cake.
I went with two other friends and shared everything, we got the cinnamon roll, which was ok, but the alla boscaiola baked eggs with sausage and mushrooms kinda blew our minds. It was the perfect balance of eggs, sausage, mushroom and tomato sauce. Served fresh in the skillet, it’s almost too pretty to eat but we went for it anyway. We also got the pancetta eggs Benedict, served with a side of roasted potatoes and homemade hollandaise sauce. The yogurt with pine nuts and honey was also tasty but I wanted to focus on the big hitters so I didn’t eat too much of that.
Fat Hen is small so we chose the communal table, which felt a little more spacious. There’s plenty of parking in the neighborhood although it gets crowded so make sure to get there early especially on the weekend. There were at least 10 people waiting in line when we left.
I already want to go back to try the avocado toast which was picture perfect, I was drooling over our neighbors order. Friendly staff made fresh squeezed orange juice as we dined. Everything about this place is pretty, fresh fruit on the counter for juicing (I assume), perfectly stacked glasses and picturesque dessert.

*** In Short ***
Solid brunch food without the nasty (weekday) wait.
*** In Depth ***
So, we were admittedly a little full already after grabbing some snacks at Honore across the street, but, hey, what else were we supposed to do while we waited 20 – 30 minutes?! Anyhow, after perusing the menu a bit, we ended up trying their salmon and pancetta eggs benedicts, along with their in carrozza egg bake.
I won’t bother summarizing each, but, the verdict? They were all quite flavorful, and the eggs, in their various forms, were all cooked just right. With that said, I’d probably opt for an egg bake myself the next time I come here, if not simply because it packs more of a flavor wallop than the former.
***Accessibility Info***
Venue — Some inaccessible high top counters with stool seating by the window, with standard accessible two and four tops in the rest of the restaurant. I recall spacing between tables being a little tight, but don’t quote me on that: regardless, nothing that couldn’t be dealt with.
Bathroom — Didn’t try them.

Located in the middle of nowhere on a random street of north Ballard, The Fat Hen is a small, adorable brunch café that fits about 25 people. The wait is usually around 30 minutes but often even more during the weekends.
The Fat Hen is all about that PNW casual hipster feel — illustrated logo, brick building, painted white wooden walls, wooden and marble tables, antique light bulbs, etc.
Their menu consists mainly of eggs benedicts and baked eggs. Of course they have some salads, soups, etc but why… when you can get the eggs???
The price range is very reasonable — around $ 14 for the benedicts and $ 9.5 for the egg bakes.
The egg bakes are served in hot sizzling pans with two over easy eggs and a side of crunchy french baguette. I love how hearty and warm the marinara sauce is, not to mention the part where you can dip your bread in the sauce and runny egg yolks. There is nothing too special about it but the flavor blends so well with the sausages and mushrooms.

Pretty good, typical brunch place just a bit on the smaller side space wise.
Seattle is turning into one of those places where deeelish bruncheries are quite abundant so if you can’t nab a seat here you won’t be missing out.
Egs bene with pancetta… hooomyyygooodnesss mmmm!!! Sooo gewddddddd.
The baked eggs looked of course so bomb! Also anything in a baby cast iron is so friggin adorable.
Shandys are so refreshing here! Glad they have it on their menu! Thanks S for the rec!

I have been to The Fat Hen a few times now for brunch and each time I’ve always ordered their baked eggs dish because they’re simply amazing!
My favorite one so far is their In Camicia which has baked eggs with mozzarella, marinara sauce and Brazil with a side of sliced baguette to dip in! I’ve also tried their mushroom and sausage one which was also very good. It might sound like a really simple dish, but it’s seriously so good. It’s one of my favorite brunch places in Seattle now!
It’s a small little restaurant and there’s usually a wait so I would recommend you coming as early as you can to get a table or else be prepared to wait. The first time I came we waited around an hour but then I came back earlier on a weekday and the wasn’t as bad, around 15 – 20 minutes. Highly recommended!

Really wanted to give this place more stars. I’ll give the cappuccino and latte 4. Food…3. Waiting…2. Over 30 minutes in the rain.
There wasn’t anything exceptional about the egg benedict. Ordered the smoked salmon and In Camisia baked eggs with added mushrooms to share. Not worth the wait. If I do come back, it’ll only be for their coffee.

The food was good and the service was excellent, it is a very very small place but my friends and I were never rushed to leave.
The carrozo baked egg was good but the ham was too salty for me. We also got a lentil salad and pancetta Benedict which were both great!
Even on a Thursday early morning there is a wait for this place so come early and be really to wait at least twenty mins!

I’ve come here twice for brunch now and though both times the wait was ridiculous, around 45min-​1hour for a table of two, I still have fond thoughts of this place. Honore Bakery is just right across the street too so you can easily walk over, grab a small pastry and/​or coffee to enjoy while you wait. which makes the wait seem like not a wait anymore :) Fat Hen doesn’t do calls though (they should!!!) so you do have to check back in occasionally to make sure you didn’t miss your turn.
I just love love their egg bakes! I’ve had the basil and mozzarella one and the sausage and mushroom one and though I thought both were great, I think I liked the basil and mozzarella better. Just to note, it’s nothing SPECTACULAR or special. it’s actually quite simple, but I think that’s what I appreciate about it. Tomato, two eggs and basil or mushroom/​sausage and it’s still bubbling in the skillet as it comes out. Also, it comes with a small piece of baguette, which is perfect to dip into the yummy tomato sauce. Lastly, it’s just the right portion for brunch at $ 9ish.
The eggs benedicts are slightly pricier than the egg bakes at $ 12 – 16, but it’s worth it. Perfectly poached eggs, and fresh ingredients! I think last time we chose potatoes as the side and I remember enjoying them, but this time with the salad it was even better! The greens were sooo fresh and just lightly tossed in olive oil and salt/​pepper I think? Whatever it was, it was very good! I love sharing food so I don’t have to decide on just one thing to try because the food is just so flavorful and delicious!
I recommend The Fat Hen — fantastic food at a cute small restaurant with white marble top tables :)