Phat Cats Bistro

Great atmosphere. Excellent service by all the staff. Food was fresh and well-plated and tasty. Had the veal cutlet special. The veal was perfectly cooked and (to my taste) could have been served without the vodka sauce topping which was tasty but the veal could have stood alone. My salad was fresh and delicious and the cocktail and beer selection were top kotch

I write reviews frequently and would much prefer to write a great review than a negative one. My wife and I had such high hopes for Phat Cats Bistro after seeing it featured on Phantom Gourmet. We were excited to try the "lazy lobster with pillows". The vermouth cream sauce completely over-powered the less than fresh and chewy lobster. Overall, the dish was way too sweet. We started with a dozen oysters which also seemed less than fresh. The "baked blues" appetizer however was pretty tasty. The drinks were spot on and the carrot cake with a side of ice-cream was also delicious. Colleen, our server was very nice.

Definitely late to the party on Phat Cats Bistro. Excellent experience. Sat at the bar and Dean took care of us...what a nice guy. Started with martinis, one black and blue and one Grey Goose. Baked Blues as an app, really solid blue cheese flavor and nice crostini - perfect portion for 2. Next a couple spinach salads which had great pear based flavors and the small was a nice portion. App and salads were excellent overall. We had one grilled tenderloin special which was cooked perfectly MR with nice veg and really solid mash. Super tender steak and overall really solid dish. The other meal was the creole seafood stew which was recommended by Dean and what a recommendation. Absolutely a go to dish in my opinion. Great kick with a ton of seafood and sausage. We finished with a piece of homemade carrot cake and it was awesome. Huge portion. Overall, why I waited so long to come to this spot. Definitely will return soon!

We loved the space. Sat at the bar. Colleen was a great bartender/server. Our meals were delicious! Lamb shank, spinach salad, caesar salad and lazy lobster with house made ravioli and vermouth cream. Can't wait to go back! We went on a recommendation of my husbands colleague, so happy we did! Thank you.

My boyfriend and I checked this place out for the first time last week, and it was so good. Loved the variety of specials for both cocktails and entrees, and I really appreciated the vegan options— the tofu risotto was amazing. The vibe was super cozy, the staff was super friendly, and being right in downtown Amesbury makes it such a great spot. Oh, and the dessert tray? Next level. They even had a dairy-free sorbet, which was such a nice touch. Definitely adding this to our regular rotation!

We finally were able to get in here. Let me just say it was amazing. Everything was great. Dean our server was awesome. I would highly recommend going if you haven’t been. We had the lobster rangoons for the app. For dinner we had the Lazy lobster with Pillows. We can’t wait to go back. Now we understand why it’s hard to get in here. Make reservations in advance. Highly recommended. Thank you Phat Cat.

Had a very delightful dinner the other night at this hidden gem of a restaurant in Amesbury. We were a party of 6 and the food was delicious . Megan was our Waitress and she did a beautiful job. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves great food, great service and beautiful atmosphere

Update: a year later and I still think it was the best food I had ever had in last 10-20 years! Truly a 5 stars food. We had lobster and shrimp risotto and both were amazing. Quality is the best I had in months! What an amazing find. My meal had 7(!) different vegetables in it. Wow! I ordered large portion and it was too much food for me, should have went with a small (regular) portion. We paid little less than $60 for both of us.

Well established restaurant primarily reservations only, but we were able drop in and seated at the bar with no reservations. Decor was eclectic with dark nouveau classic look. Given the main menu, but don't miss out on the plethora of other choices on the wall menu. We had the Hangar steak and Haddock. Both 5/5 each had complimentary sides that went well. Now don't forget the wine or perhaps that martini. This is a definite 5 star place were the locals love.

Wish this place could of lived up to the hype. My friend and I were excited to grab a reservation and try this place out. The location and ambiance are amazing, candlelit tables, dark, moody lets just say the place has a really cozy vibe. A+++ for ambiance. It's important to note this place is RESERVATION ONLY. We saw multiple people walk in and were told if they didn't have a reservation, they were full. Very VIP feeling. Service was great too. The only reason I am giving three stars is because the food just wasn't good. The "fresh" bread they serve to start was hard a rock and looked like a deli roll it was served with a plastic container of hummus. A little bit of a odd vibe. I ordered a fish special and my friend the gnocchi. Both were VERY bland and under seasoned. My fish was served with a creme brulee on the side, I found it kind of odd. May try it again in the future for the dollar oyster night and some drinks. We just weren't impressed at all with the food.

Best meal I've had in a very long time. My wife and I went here for dinner per a suggestion from a friend and we were not disappointed. Thursday is dollar oysters so grabbed a dozen of those. My wife got the mussels, unbelievable. For dinner I got the seafood stew per the bartenders suggestion, it was AMAZING!! vanilla cake and crème brule to round out the dinner. Wife had two dirty martinis and said they were amazing. We left there stuffed and very happy. Great new find for us, we'll be back!

We always come here for special occasions! We love the ambiance! I always feel like we are walking into a special place when we arrive! The service is excellent and the menu is superb! I highly recommend Phat Cats Bistro!

Whike this is one of the best restaurants in the city, the quality over the last year has declined. The menu and cocktails are still quite inventive and unique while tasting scrumptious.

While visiting friends in Amesbury, they took us to this chic bistro in downtown Amesbiry, for dinner. Phat Cats Bistro is a small, intimate restaurant with great atmosphere. My wife and I tried their homemade sangria, red for me and white for my wife. Both were excellent and fruity. We started off with baked oysters and baked blue cheese, served with homemade chips, bread and toasted almonds. Both appetizers were served hot and they were delicious. The selection of entrees was quite impressive, as were the specials offered. I had the baked haddock special, my wife ordered the surf and turf risotto, our friend ordered the duck confit special, while his wife ordered the beef tenderloin. Everything was delicious and more than enough to satisfy the hungriest diner. After dinner, we enjoyed a few of their scrumptious desserts. Two of us had their pecan and chocolate torte and my wife had the limoncello creme Brulee. If you are in the Amesbury area this is a great place for a fantastic gourmet dinner. The only caveat is that reservations are required, as Phat Cats is quite popular with the locals and fills up fast. Diners are never rushed, so they tend to linger. They close for one week in February and one week in July, so be sure to check with them during those two months.

Eaten here MANY times! Food, service the whole package are amazing! I've never been disappointed with anything I've ordered!

You cannot get in and they don't seem to worry about gaining new customers - sad for customer and sad for them.

Wonderful hood I suggest you make a reservation. It's small. Very quaint very distinct a little on the pricey side but if you want to go someplace special like Valentine's Day.

Spectacular meal here--luckily we were invited by friends and the four of us sat at the bar. Dean, one of the owners, served us, and was friendly and helpful throughout our meal. We started with the baked oysters topped with bacon, spinach and heavenly melted Fontina cheese (5/5). The garlic shrimp app was decent but not as good. I ordered the curried grilled striped bass from the specials board and the flavors were perfect. Meanwhile my wife worked on the Lazy Lobster with Pillows and was batting my fork away from her plate, but what I was able to filch (one ravioli and some buttery lobster niblets) made me ponder ordering two entrees. Our companions, regulars, raved about the baked haddock and the tenderloin, and we washed it all down with the Bottle of the Week, a Paso Robles cab (Austin Hope 2019) that had a slight sweetness that paired well with anything. Of our 3 desserts the carrot cake was the favorite but the chocolate hangover ganache was a close second. Thank you Phat Cats for continuing to thrive in downtown Amesbury!

This review has been sitting in my drafts for MONTHS (shame on me) but I still think about the meal I had here which I think says something about how much I enjoyed it. My dad and I went to Phat Cats Bistro (pre-COVID-19) based on a family friend's recommendation and I'm glad we did. The restaurant is rather inconspicuous as it's located in a 100+ year old building in a residential area. There's no parking lot but a good amount of street parking nearby so we didn't have to walk far. Their list of cocktails is pretty unique, with a Prohibition Era cocktail list since the building has been around since then. Their signature cocktails are more on the fruity side. I opted for the Phat Cat Cosmo, their version of a classic cosmo with lemon vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lime, and cranberry puree, which I enjoyed. For dinner I had one of their dinner specials, a grilled tenderloin with mashed sweet potatoes and vegetables. Perfectly cooked steak, great portion size. For dessert I had the amaretto cheesecake with housemade raspberry ice cream and it was amazing. The cheesecake was rich and the ice cream complimented the flavors nicely. All of their desserts sounded yummy so I don't think you can fo wrong with whatever you choose. Service was excellent and we were seated immediately. You can make reservations but not required.

This place is always busy, so don't think you'll go in on the day when it isn't. It is always busy because the food, the owners, the staff and the overall experience is just that AMAZING. Don't be afraid to ask to hold off a veggie or throw an extra in -- they want you to be a very satisfied diner. If you are wanting to try some new whiskey or Scotch, they've got a great selection. If Paul, isn't bogged down in the kitchen, he'd be happy to help guide you to a new one to try. Remember, the owner's work there so don't expect to be able to get a full on lesson in scotch...but he'll get you squared away. I enjoy the place and love the photography that covers the walls. Bought a few photos from there -- reasonably priced and local artist. If you have difficulty hearing in a noisy environment, you may want to try to sit in the corners to cut down on noise. They take reservations well in advance, and I'd recommend calling before just stopping in. Because this is a local gem, they're always busy. Getting through the restaurant with a wheelchair will be tricky but not impossible on a busy night. The bathrooms have wide doors and enough space to turn a chair around in. There are grab bars on the wall next to the toilets. The door into the women's restroom is a little tighter because of a piece of furniture. I got through okay but would have just used the men's if I was in a full wheelchair. (The restrooms are a single room -- not stalls.) The only step is in to the establishment and it was easily manageable. One of the better places in town for accessibility.

Got kicked out for going over our allowed time, 4 people, apps, main course, dessert, drinks. Never given the option to move to the bar...and a round on the house, just " we need the table, heres your check" Not rowdy, early 60's professionals. Never going back!

Great food and cozy atmosphere. Our server was perfectly attentive and good times were had by all.

The best dining experiences I've had in a long time. Had an early reservation but wasn't rushed to turn over the table. The food from apps to dessert were nicely presented and cooked with care. Server (I hate that word) was pleasant and efficient. Craft cocktails were well conceived. Pricing a value. Nice place in a nice town.

Had a great experience, sitting at the bar with the excellent service and delicious food. Salads were fresh and crispy and inventive. Seafood was cooked perfectly.

Hits all the tight notes. Ambiance is very bistro, service is pleasant and personable without being over bearing. And the good is, well, worth at least an hours drive.

Awesome place. Great service. Great food. Thursday night $1.00 oysters - big unexpected bonus

Small place. Definitely recommend making a reservation. When we visited, there were only reservations left for the bar, unless we wanted to dine after 7:30. We chose to sit at the bar. There were some interesting offerings, though I thought there was more for seafood lovers than not. We were asked if we bread, and said yes, and were presented w one hamburger like roll, and a small cup w what turned out to be hummus. We thought maybe the waitress heard only one of us say yes to bread, but upon further investigation, each couple around us was given the same one roll for 2 people. Please, give at least a roll per person, and I just do not understand the hummus, especially w that type of roll. I decided on the gnocchi, w hearty pink sauce w sausage. It came in 2 sizes. I ordered the dinner size and ate it all. There was not a lot for a serving that I believe was 21.00. It tasted great, just not a lot of it, and just a few little pieces of sausage. My friend got the Surf and Turf Risotto. I don't think she cared for it much, and said there were beets in it. I am not sure if that was the case it would be an odd thing to add to the dish, but I don't eat seafood so I did not try it. Because it was my birthday, we decided on dessert. I got the creme brulee, and it was very good. She got a chocolate cake that she liked as well. I am glad I tried it, but as my time in New England nears an end, I would not feel the need to go back one more time before heading South.

I can't say enough great things about this place! The service, the food, even the other patrons were wonderful! I ordered the tenderloin special which was perfectly cooked and you could clearly taste every ingredient. It's obvious that every dish (as well as the sides) are cooked to order. I enjoyed my experience so much that I made another reservation on my way out!

Amazing the food was absolutely delicious and our waitress was exceptional. I had the mussels for an appetizer, I got the haddock special as an entree, and for dessert I had the chocolate cake wit espresso ice cream. The atmosphere was also really great.

This is a small independent restaurant in downtown Amesbury. The food is tasty and individually prepared.

Can be a challenge getting in without a reservation, but it's worth the effort! Wonderful staff and a cozy (though sometimes a bit crammed) environment. Food is wonderful and specials are worth trying before gone. They have a small casual overflow bar in the back if you want to be away from the main dining room, which is nice. Good variety of cocktails for various tastes and moods.

The BEST restaurant in town! A chef owned & operated business with a farm to table style of dining using fresh ingredients where everything is made in house to order. Make sure to save room for dessert because the ever changing display of delicious desserts is worth having one there and taking one to go! Do yourself a favor & make a reservation at this hidden gem today!

Food ok. More risotto than protein. Service very good. Price points affordable. Cozy atmosphere. Not sure who would like cold bread and hummus served with the meal.

Although we live in the next town it was our first time here and it was fabulous. We started with the Haddock Chowder that was very good and then I continued with the Haddock theme and got the Haddock special and my husband chose the Pork Chop special and we both loved our meals. We couldn't resist their homemade desserts which all looked so good but we went with the carrot cake that was delicious. Our waitress Skylar was excellent so between the delicious food, excellent service, very reasonable pricing and we really loved the setting so just an overall excellent experience from start to end.

Went once on a recommendation from a friend and had a decent meal. The menu consisted of maybe 4 or 5 dishes. The locals seem to like it and I'm sure this place has regulars. All in all we were a little underwhelmed, but maybe they deserve another chance.

Bottom line this is a truly fabulous restaurant. Worth the drive if you live elsewhere on the north shore. It has been about five years since I first stumbled across this gem and this is the first time I've been back. Wonderful cocktails and truly creative and yummy food.

What's not to love? We go here often and they knock it out of the park EVERYTIME. The appetizers, drinks, farm to table fresh cooked meals, and of course their five star service makes Phat Cats the goto place for a nice evening with loved ones every time.

Great place and service is fantastic! I would recommend sitting at bar. The bartender is great and makes a fantastic drink.

The chef is not very good and his personality is even worse. The place is small, old and beyond dirty...especially in the kitchen. When I was using the bathroom around the back, it was beyond disturbing to see the makings of where and who was preparing my dinner.

Always amazing food and service! If you go you have to try the fallen Caesar salad and ALWAYS ask to see the desserts. They literally bring a tray out of house made options and all of them are amazing.

I don't think I can say enough about this place it's just so special. Imagine being a single woman in her late 50s who is dating and likes it and wants a special wonderful place to meet and feel like you're in Alice in wonderland or anyway it's just that kind of feeling for me and the drinks are great food is fantastic don't go there and think it's low budget meal but that's why you bring your special date! (‿) hundred percent recommend

Great Food, even better cocktails! Paul is a wizard in the kitchen, and Christina makes you feel like every dish was made just for you!!

Always a wonderful meal! Be sure to make a reservation plenty of time in advance because this is the best restaurant in Amesbury-Newburyport-Salisbury area.

Do you craft cocktails they have there are absolutely amazing and I had the butter nut squash or pumpkin ravioli topped with lobster one of the best meals I've had all year absolutely amazing

Awesome place truly a hidden gem. This is one of our favorite places to dine. The food is incredible. Kristina, Paul, Dean, and the rest of the staff always make it an excellent experience. Dinner Salads, Surf and Turf Risotto, Fish Chowder you cannot go wrong. Friends and Family always ask to go back on return visits. We were even fortunate enough once to get the exclusive half round booth.

Excellent food in nice "off the path" spot. Parking can be a pain but it's well worth it

I love this place. I've been coming for years but have never left a review. The food and drinks are amazing and it has great atmosphere. It's a little loud sometimes due to the tin ceiling and size of the space, but I feel that lends to the atmosphere. I've never been disappointed by anything on the menu or specials. Call for a reservation

I am looking at all the five-star reviews for this place and wondering if the diners were all high. The food we had was all either deeply mediocre or just plain bad. The waitress ( who was very nice) started us off with an ice-cold sub roll that looked to be straight from a supermarket deli counter, with a tiny disposable plastic cup of hummus. We passed on both. For an appetizer, we shared the seafood tart, which turned out to be a pile of overcooked, sautéed mixed seafood dumped over a SWEET (dessert level sweet) tart shell, swimming in a pool of watery orange sauce with a hint of saffron, and mixed with, for some reason, canned black beans. The sauce made the pastry all soggy. We love seafood and we were both starving but we didn't finish. I was glad I'd gone with a simple entree, the fish tacos. These turned out to be a pair of ice-cold corn tortillas, some more unseasoned black beans, some tomato chunks, and a couple of pieces of blackened haddock, with a side of inedibly salty chips. Not great, I've had better fish tacos just about everywhere, but I could eat them. Husband was not so lucky, he had ordered the $30 Creole seafood stew. This was more overcooked seafood, which did not smell fresh to me at all, and it was made truly disgusting by the addition of BEETS and BROCCOLI. I enjoy both, but neither has any place in a seafood stew. I would have sent it back, but husband never sends back food, so he picked at it. I wanted dessert, it was my birthday, but after that we just fled. And I hope we don't get food poisoning. We had a far better meal a few weeks ago at Crave Kitchen. Don't waste your money at this place.

Really terrific food in downtown Amesbury. Creative menu, interesting cocktails. Wonderful ambience. comfortable tables and eat-in option at the bar too. Very knowledgeable, friendly waitstaff.

Amesbury is such a cool place-and beautiful, too. Phat Cats belongs here and could scarcely look more like it fits in this historic New England town. It's a charming, small space with great atmosphere. I was traveling and dined alone at the bar around 8 PM on Thursday where I was greeted by smiley, welcoming, and attentive staff. Their energy was winning and the bartender was amiable as he moved from patron to patron with ease and engagement. The bartender immediately brought water, asked if I wanted bread, and crafted a fine Tito's cosmopolitan ($12) served with a smile. It was good. The small spinach salad ($8) was great, a perfect starter size for 1, and had great crunch, freshness, and flavor. I'm not certain it was dressed, but I was okay because the cranberries, almonds, cheese, and pickled onions were plenty. I was excited about the offering of homemade gnocchi ($35), but it was terrible. It was chewy and gummy, so much so that some bites were akin to bubble gum. The gnocchi maker here does not know how to make gnocchi. At first I thought there were strips of chicken in my dish because the gnocchi were long rectangle strips. The sauce had no flavor, but improved with the salt & pepper I added. The lobster mixed in with the dish was a fair amount, and not bad, but a little overcooked. I really enjoyed the fresh bread and compound butter. Butter in a plastic take away container is a miss for presentation. The charm and meal would be elevated if the butter were served in any kind of dish. I wanted dessert, but was too full. The dessert tray looked pretty good, as I saw. I thought the dessert tray was a nice touch. It was nice sitting at the bar to see all of the food coming out of the kitchen, and so much of it looked good. I had 1 cosmo and no other beverages or food not already mentioned and the bill was $58.85 before tip. I'd come back for drinks, salads, and first courses next time.

All four of us had a great dinner experience! Hanger steak was tender and delicious; I especially loved the mushrooms and mixed vegetables. My son had the phat cat mac 'n cheese with lobster. It was a huge portion with plenty of lobster and he ate every bite. My wife had the lazy lobster with pillows. Incredible! Our BFF had the baked haddock and raved about it. Usually one dinner amongst us is meh, but tonight all four dinners was out of this world. We had a reservation and were immediately seated. Service was great. Two minor gripes. The banquette was not comfortable at all but the place was full so we didn't ask for a change of seating. Lastly the bread was "different". There were four of us and we were served a bread stick the size of a hot dog roll with hummus. We all got one bite of bread. Again, minor gripe. Overall, great evening with tremendous food!

All restaurants should strive to just come close to the awesomeness that is Phat Cats. I've been here 3 times and each experience was top notch. I've recommended PC to friends and they've also had stellar experiences. Firstly, you should probably know that reservations are strongly recommended. Phat Cats is a small bistro style restaurant with only a few tables and professional, friendly service. Don't mistake "reservations-suggestions" for the need to dress up. Phat Cats has a super cool, casual, sort of southern charm with an upscale bistro menu, and an almost speakeasy kind of vibe. The nightly specials are written out on a big blackboard over the bar. The fresh bread served before dinner is crazy good - topped only by their house made hummus that needs to be tasted for a true understanding of its yumminess. Its likely ruined me for storefront hummus forever. The risotto, a regular item on the menu, can be made vegan and served with tofu. I thought it was tasty - although found it to be even better the next day after bringing home leftovers. I do wish there were more vegetarian / vegan items but they are very accommodating and will switch up sides and do whatever they can to cater to dietary restrictions. The atmosphere is always lively, the staff always friendly and accommodating. Phat Cats is the kind of place you'll return to over and over. A friends birthday? Anniversary? Girls night? Date night? Or maybe just don't feel like cooking on a Thursday? Just call ahead to be safe. If the bar is full, there isn't really any room to wait if the tables are all full. Oh, and they're closed on Monday and Tuesday nights I believe. :)

My wife and I just moved to Amesbury and found our new favorite restaurant. This place is phenomenal in every way! Very good vibe in the restaurant, amazing service, and the food was fantastic. This may be a weekly spot for us now!

Had no clue this place was even here. They have oysters on Thursday for $1.00! They also had dinner specials and special wine menu that night that (by the glass) they offer glasses of wine when they normally only sell those specific ones by the bottle. We loved our round booth in the front, it's off to side and private. The spinach salad was perfect and size was just right. You need ton Park on the street but we found a spot close enough. The service was very satisfying as she was personable. The tiny building is typical of Amesbury so plan ahead, make reservations!

What an absolute gem of a spot. Ambience, food, and service were well exceeded. Lobster ragoons and blue cheese apps were all tasty little nuggets to begin with. All our meals were excellent and the desserts were next level. Our server Skylar was on her game and super sweet. Add this place to your must try next outing and see for yourself.

I love the Phat cat but I don't think that the chairs are stable so I'm sorry but 4 stars for me

We called for reservations as recommended on their website, and it was a good thing we did because that little place is hopping. It's decorated with art from a local artist named Quinn. It's beautiful. The food is amazing. I had never had fish chowder before, and I was not disappointed. It was amazing! I followed that with fish tacos and the rhubarb pie. Just fabulous! My husband had a filet with sautéed mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, and vegetables. The steak was tender and flavorful. The bartender and wait staff were all so friendly. They went out of their way to make sure we felt welcomed. We picked the place randomly, and wow! If we lived in this area, we would eat here all of the time.