Restaurant

Fat Cat

Name: Fat Cat
Address: 4840 N Broadway, Chicago, IL, 60640, US
Telephone: (773) 506-3100
Price range: value

Asian•Uptown•value

Fat Cat is one of the best asian restaurants in Chicago for dinner, especially if you want a strong option in Uptown.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

Fat Cat has been anchored on Broadway in Uptown, and the 4,000-square-foot room is upfront about what it is before anyone pulls up a menu: plush leather booths, vintage rock photography covering the walls, a central bar that the whole space orbits, and shuffleboard in the back. What's genuinely uncommon here is the equal commitment to both sides of the equation — this isn't a restaurant that tolerates a bar, or a bar that wedged in a fryer and called it a kitchen. Uptown has always been Chicago's slightly scuffed, authentically diverse counterweight to neighborhoods that take themselves too seriously, and Fat Cat's loud-but-unhurried atmosphere fits that ethos without straining for it. The menu is built around bar food that, by most accounts, actually has a point of view. The Reuben Balls are the most talked-about item on the menu — corned beef and Swiss béchamel reportedly rolled in marble rye bread crumbs and fried, served with a house 999-Island dressing designed to cut the richness. It's the kind of concept that reads as a gimmick until the execution apparently justifies it. The poutine with braised pork is framed as the more substantial option: long-braised pork over fries and cheese curds, the sort of thing diners consistently describe as a full meal rather than a side. The fried mac and cheese bites, made with penne rather than elbow, and the Cuban pork belly sandwich round out what the kitchen is known for — straightforward combinations that lean on technique over novelty. The Reuben Balls and braised pork poutine together land well under twenty bucks, which in 2024 Chicago is worth flagging plainly. Fat Cat is closed Tuesdays. On weekends, the leather booths go fast — arriving before 7pm is the practical move if you want a seat near the bar rather than a wait near the shuffleboard.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

Cheap Eatscasualdinnerlocal

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Taste ID

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Taste Score 8.1/10

Rating (Google) 9.0

2,694 reviews

Chicago

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

8.1/10

Taste Score

Google 9.0 from 2,694 reviews

Best for

dinner and casual

Price and pace

Good value

Neighborhood

Uptown | 4840 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640, USA

Price

Good value

Taste Score

8.1/10

Phone

(773) 506-3100

Inside the restaurant

Photos of Fat Cat

1 photo

Watch

Fat Cat on video

Short: Collin Wasiak Real Estate (third-party feature) · plays on YouTube

Short: duolala (third-party feature) · plays on YouTube

Menu and ordering

Fat Cat menu: what to order

Start with the dishes below, drawn from the restaurant details and TastyPals notes available on this page. Fat Cat is listed in the Good value price range. Menus, availability, and prices can change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Reuben Balls

Poutine with braised pork

Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

Cuban pork belly sandwich

Check the current menu

Why go

What makes Fat Cat worth the move

Fat Cat is a clean first click in Uptown in Chicago when you want a asian option you can trust. If Unable to extract menu items is your kind of order, that is a good sign. It also holds a 9.0 rating across 2,694 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.0 from 2,694 Google reviews

Best for

dinner and casual

Style

Asian in Uptown

Spend

Good value

Best for

Cheap Eats casual dinner local

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.0 from 2,694 reviews

Price point: value

Popular dishes: Unable to extract menu items

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for Fat Cat

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Google snapshot

9.0 from 2,694 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

No diner notes for Fat Cat yet.

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Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Menu Directions

Address: 4840 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
Phone: (773) 506-3100
Price: value
TastyPals score: 8.1/10
Google rating: 9.0 (2,694 reviews)
Cuisine: Asian
Neighborhood: Uptown

Read guide

Restaurants in Uptown

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does Fat Cat serve?

Fat Cat is a Asian restaurant located in Uptown, Chicago. Fat Cat has been anchored on Broadway in Uptown, and the 4,000-square-foot room is upfront about what it is before anyone pulls up a menu: plush leather booths, vintage rock photography covering the walls, a central bar that the whole space orbits, and shuffleboard in the back.

What is Fat Cat best for?

Fat Cat is best for cheap eats, casual, dinner, local. Fat Cat is a clean first click in Uptown in Chicago when you want a asian option you can trust. If Unable to extract menu items is your kind of order, that is a good sign. It also holds a 9.0 rating across 2,694 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at Fat Cat?

Fat Cat is in the Good value price range (value). Google rating: 9.0 from 2,694 reviews

What should I order at Fat Cat?

Start with Reuben Balls, Poutine with braised pork, Fried Mac and Cheese Bites and Cuban pork belly sandwich. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is Fat Cat worth visiting?

Fat Cat holds a 9.0 Google rating from 2,694 reviews. Fat Cat is a clean first click in Uptown in Chicago when you want a asian option you can trust. If Unable to extract menu items is your kind of order, that is a good sign. It also holds a 9.0 rating across 2,694 Google reviews.