The Fat Dog W. Hollywood’s Perfect Happy Hour
John Gladish knows the right ingredients to lure non West Hollywooders and locals into his neighborhood establishment. The canine inspired cafe provides a friendly setting that falls right in line with the strip of bars and cafes on N. Fairfax, and much like its name is a very dog-friendly spot. It has a decent amount of natural light which gives it an easy feel and is a relatively casual environment. It has really knowledgeable and savvy, yet laid back and friendly servers. Most importantly however, it truly has the best happy hour I’ve experienced in W. Hollywood so far. The Fat Dog offers a very impressive happy hour lineup that ranges from $3-6 and believe it or not, the food is actually good. The food is amazing rather. I tried at least five different items and they were all extremely tasty and perfectly prepared.
The onion rings were like no onion rings I have ever had before. They were crisp with a non-messy size and texture, and they were perfectly battered and seasoned. The alternative/vegetarian burger would please any anti-meat eater, and surprisingly with all the garnishes were neat and easy to eat. The sweet potato fries were simply great and everything else at that point, the fried green olives, etc is a blur. Oh but wait! I can’t forget the mini burgers. They were amazing. They looked and tasted perfect, and were extremely generous in size.
It’s difficult to have high standards and expectations with places that offer food and drinks for $3, and skepticism does tend to come to play especially when quality not quantity is what you’re after in larger cities. The Fat Dog will definitely change your take on cheap eats however. With the combination of quantity and quality, atmosphere, and service, I’d say this is a winning happy hour experience for anyone who appreciates all of the above.
