Fatz Cafe, 5590 Forest Drive: 10 comments
Judging by reviews, this Fatz may have been closed on a temporary basis since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, but now they have made it permanent.
To the best of my memory, this location is the only Fatz at which I have eaten. It would have been while I was living out of town, in the late 1980s, or early 1990s I think, and I was not impressed. I remember distinctly thinking something like Secret Sauce?: Mayo!
Now, I may have come on the wrong night, or ordered the wrong thing, because the Yelp reviews of the three Fatz locations I have looked at (this one, the one on Broad River Road and the one in Conway) show plenty of people who used to love the chain. They also show a recent precipitous decline in perceived food quality, service levels and physical plant maintainence. I just guessing here, but there seems to be a viscious circle going on with declining income leading to a decline in the things that bring in income. (By the way, what's up with both Yelp and Google showing reviews in other than newest first order? The recent ones are kind of the most important!)
It will be interesting to see what happens to this location, because while it is at an Interstate exit, it really isn't that easy to get to.
(Hat tip to commenter Thomas)
UPDATE 25 May 2021 -- This spot is now setting up to be another crab restaurant, The Juicy Crab:
UPDATE 13 September 2021 -- The Juicy Crab is now open in this spot:
10 Responses to 'Fatz Cafe, 5590 Forest Drive:'
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ken holler
1 Sep 20 at 2:19 am
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I noticed that re Google reviews just yesterday and thought the same thing. They seemed to be ordered in an illogical manner rather than newest first.
Justin
1 Sep 20 at 11:27 am
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Ate there just a handful of times. Me and a friend got sick the last time we ate there.
Sidney
1 Sep 20 at 12:08 pm
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I think the whole Fatz chain is in trouble and the virus may be its last straw.
Tom
1 Sep 20 at 7:46 pm
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At Tom! Oh nooooo! I love the Poppy Seed rolls and Calabash Chicken. I hope Lexington survives.
Beth
2 Sep 20 at 11:29 am
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Never ate there.
Sadly my only thoughts of the place
https://www.wistv.com/story/14236776/restaurant-re-opens-after-owners-murder/
John
2 Sep 20 at 7:36 pm
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Fatz came out of “Garfield’s.” We used to eat there when it was across from Ditch Square, and Calabash Chicken was their staple menu item. Last time I ate at the Broad River location, the food was very bland. They used to have all you can eat nights of something, which is usually a good sign of the sub-quality of the food.
Jonathan
6 Sep 20 at 9:47 am
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I really enjoyed the one on Colonial Life Blvd, but I noticed the quality go down hill a lot over the past few years. I can't even remember the last time I went there.
Mr. Bill
7 Jun 21 at 11:37 am
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I remember the Colonial Life Fatz location Mr. Bill referenced well...I ate with my folks several times over the years it was there and my grandmother hated to see it close when it did as it was convenient for us...this is around the time the one on Broad River Road opened (the weird thing is that we had dinner at said Fatz the evening she passed that afternoon)...
Andrew
7 Jun 21 at 1:23 pm
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Saw a sign on this spot today that a Ramen restaurant and bar was coming soon. Guess the Juicy Crab is likely no more.
Thomas S
16 Feb 23 at 11:01 pm
I think it's interesting that Fallas still has their sign up even though they closed in November of 2018.