What I Thought of It

Fatburger, Calgary NE
3545 32 Ave NE
Calgary AB T1Y 6M6
Phone: 403 453 1372

Today - April 30, 2009 - was the second opening day of the second Fatburger in Calgary. In addition to Fatburger in the southeast, there is now a Fatburger in the northeast, almost right on the corner of 32nd Avenue and 36th Street.

This Fatburger Restaurant is everything you’d expect from a just-opened establishment. Everything looks fresh, clean, and brand-spanking-new. The dining area has booths hugging the walls and windows, and tables in the center.

The process is simple. You go to the till, pick your burger and toppings, pay, get a number for your order, and go wait at a table for 10 minutes (we were there at dinner time) for the food to come.

Fatburger is not cheap by any stretch. We ordered one combo meal and one burger (just the sandwich), and the total was over $18. It was steep for dining at what is essentially a fast-food joint. They want to erase the fast-food impression by selling beer. Well, then to me it’s just a fast-food place that sells beer.

The staff are extremely courteous and friendly, obviously well trained. At least one staff member is constantly patrolling the tables in case one needs to be cleared, to the point where it felt like an invasion of dining privacy.

Last thoughts: Fatburger is a nice place with good food and filling portions, but it’s a bit pricey for a burger and fries. I might consider this Fatburger the next time I’m hungry and nearby, but I’m equally likely to go to A&W or McDonald’s.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++++

Fatburger, Calgary SE
#1000 - 33 Heritage Meadows Way SE (see map)
Calgary AB  T2H 3B8
Phone: 403 255 1144

Fatburger in Calgary is rated “Calgary’s best burger”, which of course meant that I needed to check it out.

Location-wise, Fatburger is just behind IKEA and well positioned in the midst of lots of other shopping.

As soon as I entered Fatburger, I noticed something I don’t appreciate, and that is loud music. The loudness kept bugging me throughout my stay. The music was nice but simply too loud, so loud that it was difficult to hear the servers.

Ordering is simple: You go to the till, say which burger you want, and dress it to your liking by choosing from the many add-ons available. Then you get a number for your table and you’re ready to go and wait. The counter girl said it would take around 10 minutes, and that’s about how long it took. In the meantime, you can get your choice of drink at the soda machine, maybe even a refill or two.

The ambiance at Fatburger is nice. They have comfy boots, and the whole decor makes it a great place to sit. I especially liked the color scheme.

The burger is wrapped neatly in a paper sleeve, which folds open so that you can eat the burger without getting your hands too dirty. Taste-wise, I wouldn’t say that Fatburger has the best burger in town, but it’s still pretty good.

One minor complaint is that it’s pricey for a burger place. Fatburger’s prices are comparable to places like Montana’s or Ricky’s, and for lunch that’s a bit steep.

Last thoughts: Fatburger is a great place for a meal. It’s not cheap, but you get a nice experience. It’ll be on my list when I want something better than McDonald’s and can afford the wait and the higher prices.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++++

Find Fatburger Calgary SE on the map