Fat Hen Grill

I have eaten twice both lunch. Pricey for the area but the food I had was fine, well done, and filling. Unique plates, not the same old stuff. Want to try breakfast but have yet to be there at that time of day. Service was not great but after asking for the things not delivered they were brought. Certain items are good so I will go back for what I like there but maybe not experiment too much if the food is as inconsistent as mentioned here. BBQ ribs were good and the Meat Loaf lunch very unique, nice gravy.

Big portions, great prices, wonderful service!
I’ve yet to eat dinner here but the eggs benedict have yet to fail me.

I’ll start out by saying that this was a decent place when it was a diner on
Citrus. New location, new menu, not so much.
First, the service was not great. Our waitress seemed to be new and couldn’t answer simple questions about the menu without checking with someone else — like, does the sandwich come with fries?
My pulled pork sandwich was OK, fries were OK, but were definitely overpriced for what I got.
I won’t be going back any time soon.

For starters, the place looks like a nondescript warehouse from the outside but have no fear it’s much nicer inside. The difference in décor from the exterior to the interior however does seem to reflect the bit of identity crisis that appears to going on with the restaurant. Is it a family diner? Mmmm. not really. Is it a semi upscale brunch spot? Not quite. A barbecue joint? Nope. You get the point.
But what I will say is that I had a very respectable brunch here. The smoked salmon omelet was excellent and served with a very tasty buttermilk biscuit and really good blackberry jam. The single «pancake» is a dinner plate sized thing and wasn’t bad either.
Bottom line: There is a lot of potential here it just hasn’t been fully realized. I have to agree with Shercole K. and other who have said that there is something «off» with the atmosphere. I understand that a new location on St Charles will be opening soon. It’ll be interesting to see how it all evolves.

I enjoyed the Fat Hen when it was a diner on Citrus. Then they moved and decided to become a restaurant. The food has been hit or miss ever since. Literally, ⁵⁰⁄₅₀. A while back they added BBQ to the menu. First time I saw it on the menu, I tried the pulled pork and enjoyed it. Last time I had the sausage plate and they managed to burn the sausage. I least I know it was cooked over an open fire. I can’t complain about the service. It’s general been good. However, there’s just too many good restaurants around the house to keep coming back and not knowing whether the meal is going to be hit or miss.

Went in after picking up hungry travelers at the airport. Being that it was about 10:30/11am, some in the group were looking for lunch others breakfast and this fit the bill. The biscuits and fresh squeezed juice were delicious. I had the Gulf Coast Omelet which was fabulous and everyone in the group raved about their meals as well. Service was very friendly.
While I agree with previous reviews that the atmosphere is a little off, the food was fabulous and I would definitely be more inclined to pick up friends and family alike from the airport as an excuse to go again!

I completely agree with «Anna R.‘s» review. Fat Hen is definitely going through an identity crisis since consolidating it’s diners into one restaurant. The old diners on Citrus (the one I used to frequent) and Vets fit the menu and service perfectly. The new facility is dark and always feels awkward. And worse, it’s caught between the extremely casual nature of its diner roots and the new jazz brunch/​typical New Orleans atmosphere that just doesn’t fit. They should have kept this place an old-​fashioned diner.
As for the service, it’s been pretty awful since the move. I’ve been here probably 8 times (I live in the neighborhood), and I don’t think I’ve seen the same employees twice. The turnover must be astronomical, whereas at the old diner, I could count on one of two good waitresses almost every time. I’ve witnessed a waitresses scolding a bus girl for no reason, an incident that was so egregious that I reported it to the manager.
And the food – again, an identity crisis. I still feel like they don’t know who their audience is. Is this still diner food or something more upscale? I can’t figure out what they’re going for. To be fair, I always stick to the breakfast food, which is really good. This is why you go to Fat Hen. I have been a little disappointed when I step out of the traditional breakfast comfort zone, but the staples (eggs, potatoes, bacon, and especially the giant pancakes) are the best I’ve had in New Orleans. I now get «The Hammer» when I go, which has all of this plus grits, toast, and homemade jam. I have tried the unique «Womelette» (omelet baked
on top of a waffle) once and it was pretty good, and the varieties of Eggs Benedict are hit or miss.
I miss the old Fat Hen. I’ll go back on occasion since it’s within walking distance, but only for the quality of the breakfast. Bad atmosphere and bad service will keep me from being a regular.

Chef Shane has worked with Emeril and it shows. The name might be casual and diner like but the food is high quality. The smell of the smoker makes me hungry every time I drive by. I have only gotten breakfast once it it felt mediocre and pricey. I have eaten lunch here at least a half dozen times and the prices are just right.. They are currently offering seafood dishes, only during Lent Im guessing. I love all of the healthy options they have too. I really like the interior décor its whimsical and homey. I think they wanted to start out as a diner but progressed to something better.

Prior to their move to a bigger place that is now defined by tchotchke farm art, the food was the focus and it was done well. Now? It seems laziness has kicked in. The service, like the coffee, is lukewarm at best. And the food is an afterthought. The burgers are not cooked as requested – and were even a tad charred, as were the buns. This last visit (the third in a row of disappointed meals there), they were out of TWO items ordered, and everything was blah. In a city known for its food, this place stands out as being mediocre among the suburban mediocrity.

Staff was friendly and helpful. Food was ok even if a little overpriced. The whole feel of this place is disjointed. Waiters in all black, but hostess is wearing a flannel. The music mix was as if the waitstaff and the kitchen got to take turns picking songs. They need someone to come in and determine what theyre really trying to say and pull it all together.

I’ve been to Fat Hen Grill a few times now, and every time, I’ve gone home completely satisfied (probably a little more satisfied than I probably should’ve been). The food is (in a word) spectacular. Whether you want eggs, a hamburger, a salad, or a milkshake, they will deliver at full force. Make sure you ask them what their specials are for the day as well. On one trip, we learned that there was a special dessert for the day: a s’mores quesadilla. Needless to say, it was delicious. Like I’ve said, i’ve never been disappointed.
As for the actual establishment, the atmosphere is a little off. It seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis, not really sure if it’s an upscale restaurant, a diner, or a Cracker Barrel. While this doesn’t necessarily matter so much to me since the food is good, they should probably get that worked out at some point.
The service that I’ve had at Fat Hen Grill has been a little mixed. The first time I went, I think my waiter was probably new and didn’t quite know what he was doing, but I can’t fault him for that (poor kid). The next few times were much better. I’ve had a completely adequate waiter who did exactly what he was supposed to do, but didn’t really have that extra spunk that made him interesting and notable. Then I had a fantastic waitress who would check up on us all the time and converse with the group and make sure everything was exactly how we wanted it. She was great. So I guess it really just depends. Those experience were in order as well, so maybe as the restaurant got a little bit more experience under its belt, it shaped up its servers.
All in all, it’s a great place. Don’t let the homey décor throw you off. The menu is what’s most important anyway, and that is top notch.

Went here on a weekday around 11:30. Would not recommend for a quick or cheap lunch, but a great place to splurge on brunch. Huge assortment of savory and sweet plates, including omelets, waffles, and womelets (that is an omelet, baked on top of a waffle). I know, RIGHT?!
Also a big lunch/​dinner menu with big portions. The barbecue smelled great and everyone who got it pretty much cleaned their plates. I’m sure I’ll be back some lazy Saturday or Sunday.

I visited the Fat Hen Grill on the recommendation of a local friend in New Orleans, and was happy I went there.
It is located in a strip mall type building without much exterior appeal, but the interior is nicely done.
The food, however, was the star of my brunch.
I had eggs benedict. The eggs were poached PERFECTLY, which is an absolute must for me. If they are cooked wrong, I send them back. The hollandaise sauce was delicious, though mild. They use a shaved ham as opposed to thick slabs of canadian bacon, it was tasty and I have no complaints about that. here was enough hollandaise and perfectly runny yolk left over I ordered a buttermilk biscuit to sop up the rest of the goodness. (Awesome biscuit by the way!)
I also had their crab grits, and loved them. Creamy, savory, studded with crab and green onions, they were very delicious, I would have them again anytime I visit this place in the future.
Lastly, I had to have some of their homemade breakfast sausage, they are listed on the menu as «Shane-​made», two nice patties come out on the plate as a side order. I love me some sausage, and these were no disappointment. They had a different flavor than I am used to (I am used to Jimmy Dean), but I did think they tasted great.
As far as service goes, our server could not have been better. Quick, attentive, without being overbearing.

I luv Nawlins and I luv me some southern fried food. I’m mostly touristy FQ girl, but I decided to travel and I didn’t regret it…
Fat Hen is just that — a plump little spot of a restaurant with some damn fine food. I had the eggs benedict, the hollandaise sauce is lemony delishness. My husband powered through the waffles and chicken– now that’s some southern fried fun. The food was great, the service was hit and miss. I asked for coffee more than once and my husband needed water for most of the meal. Overall, the food is amazing and we did get a hold of our waitress, I just wished she cruised around with that coffee pot a bit more… go for the waffles and chicken, you will not be disappointed.

Looking for a family place to have post-​church breakfast, we went in for the first time looking for breakfast (we had been there for lunch and it was ok). We were seated almost immediately, which may indicate that they have too much seating — it seems the kitchen couldn’t keep up with the ordering. I did note that a person came in after we did, ordered/​received/​ate a french toast platter, another breakfast plate, and a bowl of grits– all in between the time we ordered and received our food. They did call him by name when he came in, so perhaps that explains one frequent positive Unilocal Reviewer– he is known so he gets prompt service with hot food.
Negative:
$ 5.95 for a large juice
45 minute wait for food including (pancake, bacon, fried egg, biscuit, grits)
The table next to ours sent food back because it was cold.
When our food finally came out, it was luke warm at best.
Positive:
Server was nice and genuinely felt bad that we had to wait so long.
She offered us mimosas after we finished eating which we politely declined since our three year old had waited patiently for most of the time. She then said she would talk to the manager about discounting our food ticket because of the incredibly long wait.
The manager declined to do so.
Out the door $ 40 later, (I still tipped decently), we had a horrible experience that was incredibly slow.
STAY AWAY unless you know someone there — it seems to be the only way to have a decent experience.

I had a decent meal at this restaurant. The burgers are pretty good. Customer service was decent. Also, the prices are reasonable. The day I went I guess maybe the atmosphere was a little off for my taste.

Another awesome meal today. It is not possible to make a better biscuit with homemade jam.

This place really is bad. I am now ²⁄₂ on bad dining experiences at the Fat Hen Grill. A breakfast place in which the eggs aren’t good… eek! methinks not is about right.
The service is bad. We ordered three items last night and they were out of 2 of the 3.
The positives:
–The cobb salad was decent — mainly because of the grilled chicken.
Even if i am running late to a movie, i will probably just do a drive thru next time… and i’m not exactly a drive thru kind of guy…
Fat Hen gives you lemons that are unable to be squeezed into lemonade.
Tip* Get the womlette or chicken and waffles if you go.

I had corned beef hash with poached eggs, potatoes, & hollandaise; excellent and huge portions. My friend had poached eggs with andouille; also excellent. It was very busy (Saturday brunch) and the kitchen & staff seemed flustered & disorganized. Worse, Fox Noise blared on both TVs, so the owners seemed to have no interest in appealing to a diverse clientele.
I returned the following Tuesday and tried their «Womlette,» which is an omelet on top of a waffle (pic uploaded). Interesting idea… didn’t quite work. However, if you go for breakfast or brunch, I highly recommend any of the Benedict dishes.

I heard great things so I had to try it. I won’t be going back.
Food was fair at best. Server had a great attitude and was helpful, that didn’t help the food. Thought it was over priced too. If you are in Elmwood there are other options or drive over to City Diner for a better meal!