Fat Dan's Deli

We were in Indy for a show at Butler. I was looking on Google for places close to Butler, when I ran across this place. My husband's family are from the Chicago suburbs and we love "Chicago food" so this was close and sounded great. I called in to see if they get super busy for Butler shows. They said busy but not crazy, however, that night, half the restaurant was rented out for a private event and there was a Cubs wild card game that night so it probably would be crazy. We had our hearts set on it already, so we decided to give it a try and hope to get in. We snuck in just before the game started & the large reservation came in and that was the ticket. It got really busy after that. It was fun to be there with all the Cubs fans but as a Cubs fan but not a crazy involved Cubs fan I kinda felt bad for taking seats. Our waitress was very friendly, efficient and checked in on us several times. I ordered the Chicago combo but asked to switch the Italian sausage for Polish. It was very good. Probably the best italian beef and one of the best Polish I've had. I couldn't eat the whole thing so I ended up splitting the bun in half and only eating the sausage and took the Italian beef home for my husband to have leftovers. My husband ordered the The Flat Daniel burger and "the best fries in the universe". He enjoyed his burger and the fries were pretty great. I also ordered a whole pickle. The pickle was a deli style pickle and was exactly what I was wanting. We really enjoyed our time at Fat Dan's and are hoping for a Cubbie win! P.S. The cubbies WON!

One of my favorite food joints in Indianapolis. I’ve been here (Broad Ripple location) numerous occasions and it never disappoints. Almost everything on the menu is great but I especially like the Dirty Tots (see picture), You The Champ Champ, and Basket of Nugs (like the Chic-fil-A nuggets but 10x better). Street parking is easy and their outside patio is both spacious & dog friendly.

Fat Dan’s Deli is located just north of 54th Street on the west side of College Avenue, across the street from Fresh Market. Stepping inside, you’ll find yourself looking at a square-shaped bar, surrounded by tables. There’s plenty of seating at the bar and tables, as well as a split booth, with additional seating outside when the weather permits. And when conditions are just right, two large overhead doors open up, bringing the outside in. The menu is quite expansive, offering hot dogs, sausages, chicken wings, burgers, and general pub food. The service here is great, and the pub grub is well above average. For our meal, we decided on the Chicago Dog—my wife thought it was decidedly great. She also tried the dry-rubbed and smoked chicken wings, which she declared were fabulous—some of the best wings she’s ever had. I went with a Fat Dan’s single-patty burger, “drug through the garden” just the way they make it. The dog and burger both come with chips, which neither of us wanted, so we ordered French fries to split instead. Everything here is served on paper plates with plastic silverware, which adds an unexpected but cool character to the venue. Overall, we really liked it—the food was delicious, the service was exceptional, and the place had great energy. We’re already looking forward to a return visit.

This place came highly recommended as a place to go if I wanted to binge on unhealthy food. I mean it's called Fat Dan's for a reason. Anyways, the atmosphere is pretty nice. It's got TV's for sports watching, some garage doors open for good weather, and some outdoor seating. The service was fine too. I was warned ahead of time that there are no plates and most things served on butcher paper. The food though. Some were hits and some were misses. I thoroughly enjoyed the loaded tots and fries. The wings were great. The Chicago beef sandwich was good, but had a bit of an odd taste/smell and that Giardiniera had me sweating. The Wednesday only meatloaf sandwich though was pretty dang bad. Wouldn't recommend that to an enemy. Overall though, I'd go back when my arteries unclog

The reason I went to this place, our company was invited to a clients appreciation event by a realtor. The spot that the organizers were assigned was half of the restaurant. Although there was a huge turnout, especially on a day when Chicago cubs are playing, the guests with small children were reasonably comfortable. The host and servers were very attentive. I wish I remember their names! Awesome team! Someone is in-charge of going back and forth to make sure the food was well-replenished. I was part of the organizer and they were very pleasant and helped me every step of the way. Apart from their awesome customer service, their food was excellent. Their briskets, pork and beef, are tender, juicy, and delicious. Chicago hotdog lived up to its expectations. It was one of the most replenished dish. Will surely visit again as a guest. If you love good food, great customer service and expect a full ensemble of boisterous atmosphere, this is the place for you.

Great place to grab a couple sliders and watch the game. I appreciated the option to pick 3 burgers and get them in slider form. It gave me a chance to try a few different things. Good TV set up and service was top notch. Will definately be back.

This was my first time and will be back as I live in the area. I was impressed with the food and drinks, the value, the parking, the atmosphere in the restaurant is great, perfect for the summer.

After many visits over many years, I am finally giving the 5 star reviews Fat Dans deserves. The food is great, atmosphere is fun (loud) and especially great in the summer months when it's open. I love it in the winter too though. Heartily recommended!

We love Fat Dan's! The vibe is really chill and the staff is always friendly and helpful. We love the loaded tots and I always get the Brisket. This is a spot we often take please who visit from out of town because it's consistent and delicious.

Showed up trying to kill some time with a craving for a burger and a beer. Saw the menu and immediately changed my mind. There's a lot on the menu that sounded great but I ended up pulling the trigger on a house smoked reuben with fries. The fries are addicting. So addicting I considered ordering more to go but I couldn't muster up a way to reheat them without losing the magic. There's random sides of a potato mixed in with like what you'd see in waffle fries. Little treasures like finding an onion ring in your fries as a young kid. The reuben had the thickest cut corned beef I've seen. The beef is the star on this bad boy, not overwhelmed with sauce or kraut. I think the thick cut beef helps hold the sandwich together better since it isn't a mountain of piled up meat equating to a lopsided sandwich. The food came out quick. Fries were fresh af and piping hot. Definitely coming back. There is too much on the menu that caught my eye not to.

Food: The burger was by far my favorite! Ribs were moist. Wings were good smoked but I think I just prefer mine fried. Beer cheese fries were good. They're creamy and very filling. They have no ranch in the facility so don't ask. lol. It's a running joke at the establishment. Service: Very good. Attentive but not overwhelming. Ambiance: Pretty good parking availability. Outdoor seating available. Tables and high bar seats available. I like how this location can open up the "garage doors" so it's open air. Makes for a nice ambiance on a really good summer day.

We used to live in Bloomington, so we are very familiar with Fat Dans. And this location is no different - *chefs kiss*! While we always mix up the entree, my husband and I order ONE order of the most perfect fries, to share (it's a giant order). The smoked wings are some of the best I've ever had and my husband enjoyed his Italian Sausage. You really can't go wrong here, and it's so affordable!

Great burger and I thought the side of chips instead of fries added a nice crunch to my meal. Oddest thing was that they don't offer ranch as a condiment. I would recommend for a quick lunch or dinner for sure

Enjoyed a Sunday outing at Fat Dan's Deli on College Ave. As an avid sports fan, I loved the sports memorabilia and the many TVs for watching games. Although depicted as a sports bar, it is family friendly restaurant. I selected the dirty tots and smoked chicken wings. My goodness, the food was delicious with a yummy smoky taste. I loved that their sauces are made in-house. The downside of this visit was the not-so-friendly waitress. I am chalking it up to her possibly having had a bad day, as she wasn't friendly with the other guests around us either.

The wings that keep me coming back! I will eat just about any variation of a wing but Fat Dan's takes the prize for smoked wings! Their honey Dijon dressing is also the perfect complement (NO RANCH) Service is always great, outside of shift swaps. This is a local bar that screams community, a true staple of the SOBRO area.

Excellent place to watch basketball. I had the NY Fatburger, which was good and a porter.

If I could post a pic I would, counting tip 24.00 A burger not cooked all the way, I didnt get what I requested on the burger at all, and it was soaked with grease, definitely won't go back. I did get fries with burger.

Fat Dan's smoked wings are an Indianapolis treasure! The restaurant has multiple offerings from their smoker including the wings, ribs, brisket, pork, and meatloaf (Wednesdays only). They don't have ranch - opt for one of their delicious house sauces instead: FD's Hot, Hot BBQ, BBQ, Garlic Dijon, Teriyaki, Blue cheese, Honey Dijon, and/or hot cheese. You can also get a classic Chicago dog, Italian beef (dipped, please, sweet and hot peppers), a selection of burgers, a pressed Cubano, and other delicious bar food. Get the fries and share with your friends. Food comes out on a big paper for the table and individual boats for the different items ordered. Rolls of paper towels are available on each table, contributing to the laid back, sports bar atmosphere. They have a solid selection of beers on tap as well. Fat Dan's is such a staple and the smoked wings keep me coming back!

By farrrrrr the best wings in Indianapolis and it's not even close. They smoke their wings and they are completely fall off the bone. House made hot sauce is incredible. 10/10. I highly recommend going there as it is a great little bar with an awesome outdoor patio when it's warm. But I have also ordered wings to go many times and the quality does not change

I drove here from Saint Louis just to get the wings. Without a doubt the best smoked wings in the entire United States. Fries are addicting, too.

Fat Dans is a great spot to catch a sports game! We recently came to watch the Pacers game and the atmosphere was electric. Our server was great and attentive. I ordered just a cheeseburger and it did not disappoint. The fries are great. Fresh and warm. They rotate beers which is always fun. I don't really understand why they don't serve ranch. I understand it is a Chicago place, but I do miss ranch when I order fries. Overall, a great sports bar to have a good burger and beer and catch a game!

Fat dans is an absolute gem and staple to the Sobro area. My husband and I come here often especially during the summer when the doors are open. The food hits every time, you truly cannot go wrong with your order. Service is always fast and friendly! It's just laid back inside & open seating. This is one of our top places in the city to eat, and one we always recommend for anyone visiting

A little slice of Chicago right in SoBro. I've lived up the street from Fat Dan's for years, but never stopped in. I regret that because it's great! Really feels a lot like being in a Chicago neighborhood pub with lots of Chicago memorabilia and just a cool hometown vibe. The only thing that wasn't authentically Chicago is that the servers still had Hoosier hospitality. It's definitely worth stopping in if you're in the area and want a burger.

I can not say enough about this place. I've been wanting to visit the location for years but have not had an opportunity so we went for lunch. From the beginning the service was impeccable and everyone was so nice and the patio had umbrella tables I ordered a local "lemon shake up" again, amazing! Then the burgers were chefs kiss! I can't wait to come back and if you haven't tried it, do it like....soon!

As a Braves fan, it was really hard to find a consistent baseball bar and fat dans was my go to for so long when I lived in Indy, even if it was Chicago style. The atmosphere and people made each and every experience worth it. The downtown one is nice, but the Broad Ripple location is where it's at. Great food. Great drinks. Great people.

You got a love Fat Dans for what it is, straight up bar and hang over for food! And the ladder is exactly the reason I came here, I needed something to soak up the good times I had the night before, and an Italian beef with hot peppers and french fries hit the spot. I love that they have a large order of french fries that they just pour on the table and you can share with your friends, if you're feeling nice, that is! Bonus points for carrying coke products! Stellar place to watch a game as well if you can find a seat!

The service was good, but they got our order a little wrong. All the food was delicious And the interior was clean

The ambiance gives bar/deli vibes. The service was great, it was our first time and our waiter was super helpful! The food was amazing! I've been fantasizing about the smoke wings since I had em the other day.

My neighbor talks about how good "Fat Dans" is. I had it at his house during a carry out order, and finally decided to experience Fat Dans at the restaurant. We took our dog and sat outside. We had a great waitress, talked as a family and had some good fun. Then the meal came. They brought it on a big sheet of paper with a big mess of fries. My burger was one of the best I've had. The fries were Los delicious. The outdoor seating is in the back and was fun. I liked it and will be back!

My friends have been recommending this place for a year or so and we finally decided to give it a try. Located in a great area surrounded by various restaurants and shops, the place looked like an average bar-restaurant, with plenty of TVs and bar decor. We seated ourselves and a server came to take our drink orders after a few moments. However, the beer menu was on a chalkboard on the wall, which wasn't visible unless you were in direct line of sight, so we skipped the drinks. The menu had several options, but it was hard to read due to the faded color scheme it was printed in. We had three different servers who attended to us, which was a bit confusing, but they were all attentive. We ordered the dirty tots which were massive, but the excessive amount of cheese on them masked any other flavors. The wings were excellent and shareable. I ordered the hot corned beef and pastrami sandwich, but the meat combination was strange, and one of them was so chewy that I had to remove it from the bread to eat. I wouldn't order that mix again. We shared an order of fries, which were plentiful, but we didn't like them. They were supposedly "the best fries in the universe," but they had a sugar blend on top with a little bit of salt, which didn't satisfy our taste buds. Overall, the atmosphere was interesting, and I might come back if I'm craving a hot deli sandwich, but it won't be a regular spot for me.

Awesome burger - really outstanding, great fries... I'll definitely be back to Fat Dan's!

Had an incredible lunch. The doors were open, perfect weather, games on the tv and friendly banter with other tables. Our server was incredible and provided suggestions and was on the money. Everything she recommended was great. I love this place.

Love Fat Dan's. Been to their locations in Indianapolis and Bloomington, and the quality of the food at both places is very good. If you order fries, be prepared to share. Even the small order has a lot of potatoes. Plenty of options for the meat lover. Even the Chicago dogs are pretty tasty. Service is good--efficient but not in your space all the time. The Indianapolis location is like a neighborhood bar from back in the day. The Bloomington location feels a little more like a sandwich/deli shop. Both places have bars.

All of the staff here are wonderful, provide an amazing atmosphere, and I enjoy visiting here often. On 6/29/24 I visited this location off Mass Ave and a very disheveled man was behind the bar. You could tell he was already two sheets to the wind when I arrived. He was in dark cargo shorts/shirt and wore glasses. Not sure if he was a manager or shift lead. The staff were having quite a busy night and he seemed to add unnecessary gasoline to a fire. He poured himself shot after shot which weren't needed in my opinion, as he was already drunk. It appeared he made one of the staff come to tears. This guy was quite an asshole and needs fired in my opinion. How uncouth to treat staff in such a manner during business hours. Not a good look for the business.

I wasn't 100% sure best place to park but it was early which made it easier. Service was decent nothing to brag about but nothing to be disappointed about either. The fries were so good like cooked perfectly. My favorite burger was the teriyaki one. The pastrami wasn't bad but I think thats an acquired taste. My least favorite was wells st I didn't like the cheese on it and not sure what the sauce was. I would go back and try something else.

Loved this gem! I got the grilled cheese + avocado. Boyfriend got the Reuben. Both were SO good and we wish we had stayed here and drank instead of walking around because they def had the best beer and atmosphere. Would come back!

My first visit reaction: wait did I just get served my dinner on butcher paper..... is this a Chicago theme thing? i'm not Chicago enough to know so i'll leave that as my Hoosier perspective on the matter only. 2nd visit impression - well the food is good - i guess i can adapt to the lack of plates haha Had Chicago dog / Itailan beef and they don't hold back on the fries - i mean its called FAT for a reason right?

Fat Dan's Reuben sandwich is a page right out of a Beat Bobby Flay TV show! They smoke the corn beef and instead of 1000 island dressing, they add their own neon green relish. The relish is a Chicago thing put on the Chicago-style hot dog. The corn beef is hand carved not shaved and the melted Swiss Cheese and sauerkraut round out this very savory sandwich. The sandwich is served with potato chips. While I'm mot ready to completely abandon Shapiro's, this sandwich is a great alternative.

This is probably the best Italian beef I've had outside of chicago for sure. I came here with some friends and it was a dope atmosphere. Service was good. And the food was delicious. If you actually like your hot peppers to have some kick than these are the ones for you cause I was definitely feeling a little something! If you're in the area I recommend stopping by. You won't be disappointed!

Visited again for lunch this time! Found a table right away, super friendly bartender and wait staff. Just as good as always. I got the Dirty Tots this time. The sauce is hot! Watch out.

Wow. I'm a schmuck. I left them a four star review after our first visit and never updated it. Fat Dan's OG SoBro location gets all of the stars. It is full of charm and character with its uneven concrete floors and mismatched tables and chairs. The staff are all friendly and fun, but there's no one like my Dave. He's my favorite server. You'll see a lot of the same regular patrons and they'll eventually give you a nod. Beer list is plentiful, including unique draft and bottle options. The hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, fries, and wings are amazing! Wings are smoked and then flash fried to order. Sauces are made in house. There's no ranch. Bleu cheese, honey mustard, hot, BBQ, hot bbq, and teriyaki are the ones I remember. I could go here every weekend. Happily.

I've been coming here for almost a decade at this point. When other restaurants and bars fail, the Fat Dan's in Broad Ripple is 100 percent guaranteed to let me turn my brain off and just eat for once. The service is always friendly, the griddle is seasoned to Waffle House perfection, and the consistency is breathtaking. My suggestion for the best cheeseburger in the city is the Flat Daniel with sautéed onions and jalapeños. Crunchy, juicy, the cheese is properly melted, the bacon is crisp, and the patties are impeccably seasoned with salt and pepper. On top of that, I'm drinking an Oban 14 scotch and watching all the sports I've ever wanted. The entire crew here is experienced, friendly, and I've never seen a hint of panic or spite concerning customers or dinner rushes. I've cooked in some of the nicer restaurants in New Orleans (Commander's Palace and SoBou), waited tables at Bluebeard, and was even a pastry chef for a stint (4 a.m. ain't for me I discovered; also, macarons are overrated. Entremets are where it's at.). I can say with the utmost confidence that this is one of the only good places left to eat and relax left in this city. Keep in mind that this is the original Fat Dan's location. The downtown one is good, and the location in Carmel just doesn't exist in my opinion. Carmel ruins everything good. Carmel is the epitome of lipstick on a pig. Carmel is Eagleton. Carmel is hell. Tip well here. These people work hard.

The wings are 10/10. The brisket sandwich is also highly recommended. All in all, very satisfied with the food and the service at Fat Dans. I will definitely be back for some more of the wings

I have been here a number of times with my family and it has become one of my all-time-favorites. The staff is super nice. The food comes out fast and hot. Every time I leave I am always stuffed. There is outdoor and indoor seating and bar. This is definitely a must-go place on you Friday night out!

Our go-to place for a nice summer lunch. It's so cool that the windows are open so you can enjoy the breeze and nice weather while eating some great food.

The ABSOLUTE BEST ITALIAN BEEF IN TOWN! I'm not a wing person, but I eat them here and here only. They're perfectly seasoned, juicy and meaty. They also make fabulous fresh cut fries and mi kids love the tots too. I prefer the ambiance of the broad ripple location but if you end up in Carmel try the Italian beef pizza- it's amazing.

I had family visiting and it was about 9pm when we decided we needed some good bbq. Fat Dan's was the perfect fit! There is always a fun come-as-you-are vibe there, as long as you are ok with it being loud. The hero of the evening was the food. I have always been a fan of the hand cut fries and tots especially the quantity!! They have a slightly sweet seasoning nowadays but the taste is great. I got the brisket sandwich which was delicious with the regular bbq sauce. Since it was Saturday ribs were on the menu and thats what my family got. They left feeling impressed. I appreciated the fast no nonsense service that kept our evening moving right along. I didn't try it this time but they normally have a great house made veggie burger. We had people with dietary needs and were all able to enjoy their meal. Well done Fat Dan's!

THE neighborhood bar of SoBro! A Chicago proud establishment, but #allarewelcome! Burgers, Chicago dogs, wings, all the good stuff! BUT NO RANCH! Don't ask! Its blue cheese or honey mustard to dip those mouth watering wings in! This is how casual should be done! Roll of paper towels on the table and food served in cardboard boats! Great rotating beer selection and kid/dog friendly! The best place to be on those warm Indy nights with the garage doors open!

Chicago said it would allow Indy to have some good food. Enter Fat Dan's. Always good food and friendly employees. Nice rotation of beers and some mid to top shelf spirits. Food portions are nice sized for the money and I am never disappointed. Like smoked meats? Get em here. Meatloaf (Wednesdays), pastrami and corned beef and the wings are always solid choices. I always add a small fry that looms large over what you find anywhere else. Food comes out on what I call "brown butcher paper" to make clean up a breeze with an accompanying roll of brown paper towels. For those that prefer plates and napkins, you gotta go elsewhere cause I never seen those here if you're dining in. I could care less what my food comes out on as long as it is good and hot. It can get crowded especially in the summer but they have a deck out back where you can also park and seating out front too. I gotta check out the ribs one day soon (available Sat or Sun only) or a burger but I always hit up Fat Dan's for the wings which is why I haven't made it to those other seemingly solid food otions. Check out the accouterments for a laugh!

This was our second time at Fat Dan's and unfortunately it was a very bad experience. The service was disappointing (to say the least). We were sitting at the bar - one of the bartenders was fine but the other was outright rude. The food was hit and miss. The macaroni and cheese was dry & bland while the wings were good. If a restaurant/bar has a good staff you can forgive food that may not be your favorite - but treating customers with contempt is not forgivable. We won't be back.

Best burgers around! Lots and lots of beers too. Gets busy during sports but the service is great

Oh my...I'm so deliciously full! All the reviews we read were on point!! We shared everything because we couldn't decide. We shared the dirty tots, the burger and some wings. I honestly couldn't pick a favorite of the 3 and neither could my husband. The burger was smash style so thinner but still very flavorful. The wings are smoked and the flavor alone was so good. These wings were big and fell off the bone. We got the hot bbq and fat dans hot sauce to dip them in which both were good but not needed. The dirty tots had pulled pork, cheese sauce, green onions and fat dans hot sauce. OMG... I've never had tots stay crispy when loaded but these did. It's a small place in broad ripple but was getting busy around 6. Cool little dive bar feel with outside seating.

I can't believe I've lived here as long as I have and never visited Fat Dan's before. Our wait staff was so wonderful for us first-timers. We had a burger flight, which we split, and the Beer Cheese fries/tots. She was kind enough to request that the kitchen split fries/tots even though it was not on the menu. She was absolutely spot on with that recommendation, as it was one of my favorite meals of 2023 (although it's still January. ;)). I'll be back, FD's!

Food was amazing!! We got wings and Bugar's both were amazing and the wings fell right off the bone! will def be back huge menu!!

Chicago style restaurant with all of the goods. I had a hot dog and fries. Small fries is plenty to share between 2 people. The meal also comes with potato chips. Hot dog was Chicago style, complete with plenty of celery salt. If I had to be picky about one thing, the bun was very dry. I've been here before and that wasn't the case so maybe it was just an off night. The restaurant was packed, but had a quick and efficient wait list system. Our waiter was incredibly friendly, especially during a bus night. Street parking and small lot in the back.

Fat Dan's is an amazing place from the food and beer to the atmosphere. How can a location not be great when the menu has hugs listed for free...kisses do run a hefty $3 though. They usually have about 10-16 beers on tap including old style which is always a huge plus for me. The do food from a grill/smoker with emphasis on Chicago-style cuisine. It is family friendly as well. Even with being short staffed and a full house, the food came out quick and the waitress did a great job keeping everything perfect. We went with the dirty tots and I would highly recommend giving them a try. If you don't like spicy, you can always ask for the hot sauce on the side. I also got the smoked wings (10 count) with barbecue and teriyaki sauce. The wings are some of the best in city and one of the few places I'm aware that serves them this way. We also split an order of the fries which a small order can feed 2-3 people. I love how the food is served with it uniquely coming out on a giant piece of piece. Overall a wonderful experience and amazing food that I've yet to be disappointed by.

I LOVE this place. Such good food, good service and the vibes on football sundays are immaculate. Anytime I have friends in town I bring them here, definitely a 10/10 place!