The Fat Bear

Superb. Great host great atmosphere and most of all, great food. Had the pickleback which was very interesting way to have a shot. Beef rib tacos were served warm and had great flavor with a kick of spice, main was the cioppino, one of the best seafood dishes I ever had, everything was perfectly cooked. Finished off with a marvelous Oreo cheesecake. Will definitely be back when I’m in London

This was our first trip to London and the first restaurant we tried, as it was close to where we were staying and had good reviews on here. Man I’m glad we came! The service was excellent, everyone was very warm and welcoming. It was also off this nice, little alley and the restaurant had a lot of charm.
The food was amazing! I had the mac and cheese and my fiancé had one of the burgers (which both sound simple enough) but they were soooo good, not your average burger and mac and cheese. We were too full before dessert so we didn’t have anything but I regret not trying the Oreo cheesecake — I’m sure it would have been fantastic!

There is a reason I’m choosing The Fat Bear as my first review.
I visited this cosy restaurant tucked away in the side streets near Blackfriars a few months ago– however, unfortunately, I didn’t have Unilocal at the time so all my raving was limited to my friends and family.
Thankfully, for my friends sake, I now have Unilocal — so I can finally leave the review that this place really deserved.
A sensible place to start will be with the food.
AMAZING. WHOLESOME. HEARTY. DELICIOUS.
All these are words that fall short of describing just how good the food was. Every course, from the corn dogs and hot wings starter, through the short rib and game gumbo main to the Oreo cheesecake and apple pie dessert was packed full of soul.
In fact, the only way it could have got any more soulful would be if James Brown shuffled out with the food himself, belting out «Soul Man» at the top of his voice.
The fact that I can not only remember what I had several months later, but that it still leaves my mouth watering just thinking about it really is testament to the quality of the food experience I had there.
Now, I must confess something. I was with my girlfriend (I couldn’t possibly have eaten all of the above myself) and I remember the overwhelming food envy and consuming jealousy I felt when her short rib came out — a huge single rib of tender, meaty goodness what can only have come from some kind of super-​cow. I remember that sinking feeling of regret that I, fool that I was, had ordered the game gumbo instead.
But this feeling didn’t last for long. One forkful of gumbo in and all my fears were washed away by the explosion of meaty, spicy flavour. It didn’t matter that it was a typical rainy windy day outside. I could close my eyes and find myself in the warm sun of the deep south.
Okay, that’s enough about the food. Next stop, atmosphere.
Being faced with the busy boozer at street level, and the well-​worn stairs to take you up to the Fat Bear, you might be forgiven for having second thoughts. But don’t.
What greets you at the top is a positively charming, cosy and friendly dining room. It’s not a big place, but that only adds to the intimacy and really makes it feel like you’ve found somewhere quite special. I felt like this was my own secret discovery (despite the rest of the tables being full of happy eaters) and that I’d really nailed it with this choice of date spot.
The music is an excellent, eclectic choice and suits the vibe of the place. The staff are excellent and very attentive — their care and passion for the place is really infectious. Ask about their cocktails, try them and whatever you do don’t leave this place without a pickle back or two.
I couldn’t recommend The Fat Bear highly enough. I can’t wait to return shortly to try some of the new menu items — although please don’t all go at once because I need a table!

Went to The Fat Bear on our first night in London and man am I happy we did.
Five stars from all aspects: staff were incredibly friendly, and made awesome suggestions for food and drink (they even let a friend of mine take a photo with the bartender behind the bar), music was spot on (they have a Spotify playlist you can follow!, I believe it’s «thefatbearuk»), and our meals were out of this world.
My two friends both got the chicken and waffles which they enjoyed, and I got the ahi tuna salad (DELICIOUS). Good portion sizes for the price point.
TRY A PICKLEBACK.
Just do it. Not nearly as gross as it sounds.
Whenever I return to London, The Fat Bear will be sure to be one of my stops.

Wow wow wow
As a first timer to London this establishment was recommended to us
Amazing
The food was exquisite!!!
I had such an amazing time
Thank you Debra and staff for making us all feel like one of the locals
And Debra… maybe that’s not even your name but I hope you remember who we are so you know we appreciate you!!!

By far the best food we had in London, maybe all of Europe. We loved it so much the 1^st night that we came back the very next night. The sauces are top notch. Burgers are tasty, fresh, and perfectly cooked. The pimento cheese is absolutely a must, on a burger or mac and cheese or just crackers. Chicken and waffles were terrific, the honey mustard maple syrup sauce was a perfect mate for this dish. The house recipe drinks are delicious, especially the Bear House Punch. The restaurant is small, cozy, and inviting. The waiter and bartender were so friendly, patient, helpful, and kind. They made our family of seven feel very welcome. I would consider another London trip specifically just to eat here again.

RARR RAAARRR RAR RAAAR R RAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!
Oh sorry… I’ll switch from Bearlish to English for the sake of this review.
What I was trying to say was, «Come as a normal human, leave as a fat bear!»
That’s the best way that I can explain coming to this bingerie.
First of all… finding this place, even with City Mapper, is like trying to find a piece of bear poo in a forrest. Just remember it’s in a side alley off of the street address so keep looking and you will be rewarded like a Bear King! RAAARRR!
Back to English…
Let’s see what I binged on:
Fried pickles (yummy! but could use more chunky pieces)
Collard Greens — MMMM!!! Taste like I’m in Mississippi!
Sweet Potato Fries (This was more like SP chunks and damn good chunks)
Mac ‘n Cheese (More cheese than Mac making it stew-​ish, but you will never hear me complain about more cheese!)
Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo (My gums and the teeth attached to them were pleased with this dish! More refined than the typical Louisanna-​style, but still Gumby… errr. I mean Yummy…)
Catfish — CATFISH! I haven’t even seen that on a menu since I left the US! I was super happy to have this huge fried slab of c-​fish on a plate in front of me and you better believe it didn’t stand a CHANCE again me! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Oreo Cheesecake (one more time… oreo… cheesecake… I need not say more)
In the end little half-​asian 61.3Kg Dennis the human left this bingerie as 85Kg+ Dennis the fat grizzly bear.
Raaaaar ra ra raaa raaaaaaaar r rrar rrrrrra RAAAAAAAAAARRR! (Looking for some Southern American cuisine sure to leave your belly 185% full? This is the place for YOU!)

You need to look for the entrance (it’s upstairs a pub) but your reward is your dinner.
We got to try most of the menu and it was yummy. Hands up for the chicken, that was moist and tender and full of flavour. (try the buttermilk southern fried chicken).
For you mac&cheese lover, not only do they serve very creamy jalapenos mac&cheese they also serve a lobster version. If I had to choose between the two… well I wouldn’t, I’ll pick both.
Now to the desert, oreo cheesecake was to die for. I wasn’t hungry anymore, swear I couldn’t eat any more, but I ate my entire slice.
Service was really good and I love their outfits (they have something similar to a singing quartet with brace and tie, loved it)

The Fat Bear is above the Rising Sun pub, with the entrance tucked into a little alley off Carter Lane. It’s a nice, cosy restaurant with a lovely ambiance. We had a set menu, served family style, and the food was seemingly never-​ending! There was a great variety of dishes to try, and although some were definitely better than others the food was very tasty. Although I hate to think how many calories I consumed!
The service was also good, with the staff very friendly and helpfully explaining each dish to us as it was brought out.

Oh, what a night! Jurgen and Beth had organised a smallish Unilocaler get-​together and it was a treat!
It’s a little hard to find as it’s upstairs above a pub. But once you find it, it feels really cozy and welcoming.
We had a set menu that was served family style. There was just SO MUCH food. And while some dishes were definitely stronger than others, the variety alone made for a fantastic meal.
I do wonder though, why do British restaurants insist on putting crumbly topping on mac and cheese? Not enough cheese, too much crumbly distractions.
The staff was great, there were great dishes (and some okay ones) and fantastic company! What more could one ask for!

After a full day at Tate Modern, my husband and I were craving to have a hearty dinner. We decided to
cross the river and wander around St. Paul. Best decision because we stumbled upon this cozy restaurant.
What initially attracted us was the noise. On a small side street, people were spilling out from a pub, all seemingly ecstatic that it was finally a Friday night! As we drew nearer, we saw a stairway that led to a second floor with the restaurant’s sign. A quick search on Unilocal revealed that it was a highly rated place!
So off we went and immediately loved the dim lighting and small space. That delightful British accent filled the area and that’s always a delightful thing.
By the way, this isn’t an English pub, but a Creole-​inspired restaurant. Think: gumbo and barbecue shrimps and lots of spice! YUMMMMM.
We got the spinach dip which was such a good starter. Fresh, chunky. And for mains, my husband got the mushroom and biscuits. I got the barbecue shrimp and biscuits. Everything was a hit! Everything was so hearty and flavorful and perfectly warmed our tummies on a cold winter night. Wish we could’ve gotten dessert too but we were so tired from the long day that after such a meal, all we wanted to do was crawl under the comforter!
Five stars indeed!

I was really impressed and happy with my experience at the Fat Bear! After searching Unilocal for the perfect place to take my husband on a date, I found the Fat Bear. I was initially attracted based on the reviews and food offered (American soul food). Plus everyone at my work highly recommended the restaurant.
I was very impressed with the décor. It has a romantic cozy atmosphere while still retaining a laid back vibe. My husband doesnt particularly like fancy restaurants and the Fat Bear perfectly straddled the line between very nice and too swanky. The candle lit ambience was very nice in the small venue. The music choice was interesting without being too loud to hinder conversation. Overall, it was perfect.
Despite being a Saturday night, the venue wasn’t slammed. There was only one waiter and one bartender working, but they still ensured that all tables were looked after. The waiter was very attentive and had an American quality customer service, which was greatly appreciated.
The food was probably the highlight of the evening! My husband had the slow rib, which he said was maybe the best thing he had ever eaten. The food had a subtle spice with a smokey flavor. They even had real maple syrup on the desert waffles! It was very good food and we left feeling very full. In fact, I felt full far into the next day!
I was very happy with our evening here as it was exactly what I was looking for! Thank you Fat Bear for making our evening very special!

A corner of New Orleans in central London — Creole soul food doesn’t get more real than this. Try their gumbos and corn dogs, both spicy, filling dishes that’ll go perfectly with their impressive selection of drinks. Their Oreo cheesecake is equally indulgent and lovely. 5 stars!

Found this place on Unilocal,and was amazing and surprises how good it was :)
Mixing the greatness of British food with a blend of American. We even had two Americans at the table to verify ;)
At first it’s slightly hard to find as it’s upstairs if an old school British pub. As a result, it’s very secluded and quiet (this place should be far busier).
I had the chicken with waffles. Really delicious and tender. And there were list was impressive.
The staff were amazing, friendly and helpful.
I would completely recommend this place to almost all occasions :)

Thanksgiving — coming early this year.
Wow. Das war wirklich viel. Viel Guter Wein, viel gute Gesellschaft und vor allem viel gutes Essen. Von Bulgur-​Salat auf Spinattblättern, Fleischplatte, Maccaroni and Cheese, Shrimps in Tomatensouce, Stuffed Sweet Potatos, Oreon Chees Chake, Bacon Donut and Pumkin pie war alles dabei und wirklich jeder satt bzw. foodcomatös. Obwohl die Kombination des Essens für mich etwas schräg war, hat alles, was ich probiert habe sehr gut geschmeckt.
Den Backon-​Dounut zum Nachtisch musste ich allerdings auslassen sonst wäre ich geplatzt. Die Atmosphäre in diesem Lokal mit viel dunklem Holz und freundlichem Service erinnerte mich mehr an ein Essenstisch zu
heimeliger Einrichtung ist sehr stilvoll und nettem Service mit Den fetten Bären sollte definitiv ein Besuch abgestattet werden, wenn man sich in diesem Eck von London herumtreibt.
Die kleine enge Treppe, die in den ersten Stock zu dem Lokal führt konnten wir nach dem Essen auch perfekt nutzen, um ohne Hindernisse begrab heimzurollen :)

Pfiou, quel repas ! Pour ce dîner d’équipe, j’avais été prévenue, il fallait m’attendre à un festin de Thanksgiving. Je n’aurais cependant jamais imaginé pouvoir manger autant et en si peu de temps ! C’est bien simple, j’ai eu l’impression de manger un repas de famille de 5 heures… mais en 1h30.
Je pense pouvoir affirmer que chaque personne autour de la table a souffert de manger autant (dure vie de CM Unilocal!!!), cela dit c’était vraiment très bon, même si je n’aurais jamais fait le choix de certains plats, notamment le cheesecake à l’Oreo (que l’on se rassure, je n’ai mangé que l’Oreo) ou le Maple Bacon Donut («hmm is that an expression or is it really with… bacon, as in with meat-​bacon??!»).
J’ai regretté que la lumière soit un peu trop tamisée, empêchant un peu de distinguer les plats (et hop, la bouchée de dinde aux pistaches quand on est allergique!!!) et que tout soit globalement un peu trop salé mais beaucoup aimé mon repas tout de même, avec un coup de cœur tout spécial pour la dinde (avant de réaliser pour les pistaches) et la purée de patates douces bien épicée !
Service aux petits soins et bons très bons !

Hidden spot in a cozy side street.
When we walked up the tiny stairs I already felt this will be something special.
We made it up to the main floor and I wasn’t disappointed. A very cozy place, amazing location for dinner. We reserved kind of an extra room for 15 people and did all fit around the huge table, perfectly.
Our Pre– Thanksgiving Dinner was made with lots of love, I could tell. Even though it was not my kind of meals (some things TOO salty, others just too spicy).
Anyhow, the waiters were doing an great job and my glass of wine kept being full (whereas I kept wondering. Didn’t I down this already?!).
So overall, loads of food — just not my personal taste– and amazing service.
Thanks Fat Bear!

Selten schafft es ein Restaurant, dass ich um 9 Uhr abends überfressen ins Bett falle, erst am nächsten Morgen wieder aufwache und mich frage, was eigentlich passiert ist. The Fat Bear hat’s hingekriegt und macht damit seinem Namen alle Ehre. Passend zur Jahreszeit gab’s für uns ein Thanksgiving-​Festmahl der besonderen Art. Turkey, Ham, Süßkartoffelpüree, Mac’n’Cheese — das kann einen schon gut aus den Latschen hauen. Noch dazu war alles so super lecker zubereitet, dass ich mich kaum bremsen konnte. Durch die Reihe weg top gewürzt, ausgewählt und irgendwie stimmig. Hier wird nichts dem Zufall überlassen. Mein Favorit war glaub ich Mac’n’Cheese, aber auch die Auswahl an Vorspeisen konnte sich sehen lassen, besonders die Bufallo Wings und Pimento Cheese. Auch an Nachspeisen wurde nicht gespart, serviert bekamen wir Oreo Cheesecake (Halloooo!) und Pumpkin Pie (mjaaaam!). Beides super, nur der Bacon Donut wollte da nicht so ganz zu passen. Übrig geblieben ist aber fast nichts.
Die Reservierung im Vorfeld klappte super und auch unser family-​style dinner (von allem etwas zu teilen) bereitete keine Probleme. Der Service war aufmerksam und hat uns gut verwöhnt. Alles in allem ein wunderbar unkomplizierter Abend mit tollem Essen und toller Gesellschaft. Immer wieder!

Une expérience inédite que j’ai eu l’occasion de réaliser à Londres, au The Fat Bear. Lumière tamisée, dans une pièce à l’écart des autres, ambiance chaleureuse de vieille maison au parquet grinçant.
Ici pas de choix sur les plats, plusieurs «tapas» sont servies en entrée et sont déjà bien consistantes… Ensuite les plats de résistance sont servis, viandes, poissons, patates douces, mac & cheese et légumes sont déposés sur la table, on se sert sans ordre particulier, family style ;-)
Les desserts arrivent et nous achèvent littéralement avec notamment un donut au toping bacon, burp!

My first Thanksgiving was always going to be a big deal but the Fat Bear made it a special and memorable experience. Myself and some friends visited last night for what can only be described as a three course feast.
Highlights of the meal for me included the turkey and stuffing, sweet potato mash and the mac&cheese. They were all were perfectly prepared and presented well.
The only downside of this meal was the huge amount of food I consumed but when it’s this good how can you resist… Fat Bear team… take a bow.

Right, my food coma is just about subsided so I can continue to tell you about the actual experience itself. Well, there was a lot of food, some more food, then some food and then to finish off, a bit of food.
I visited with the Unilocal gang one evening and we were enjoying the xmas set menu — I genuinely wasn’t hungry until about 1pm the following day — success Mr. Bear, a grand success.
A few more details for you, the food is absolutely delicious, especially the pimento cheese dip to start with and the potted duck, rabbit and ham hock! It was finished off with an Oreo cheesecake which was equally as tasty! Those are just some of the amazing dishes on the set menu yet there wasn’t one I didn’t enjoy!
£27.50 per person for a very high quality menu can’t be sniffed at.
Go see the bear and get very fat — seriously, I can’t give you any better advice than that!

My oh my, what a night, what a meal, what a place!
The Fat Bear is definitely a wonder of a hidden spot, located just round the corner from St. Pauls, above the Rising Sun.
We walked up the slightly unusual staircase and found ourselves in a quaint wooden filled restaurant that mimicked the feel and atmosphere of a dining room. The room is lit by low lighting and candle light and the feeling of home and comfort is undeniable.
The service throughout the evening was fantastic –the team were very friendly, informative and literally couldn’t do enough for you.
Now, to the food! We were a large group of 15 and pre-​ordered from their menu which was thanksgiving themed. The restaurant itself is American inspired soul food so I had high exceptions from the start. Plate after plate, the food just kept on coming!
The personal highlights for me were:
Starter: The potted game served with caramelised onion and bread — this was just to die for. So flavoursome and rich, just a beautiful dish.
Main: the turkey legs were cooked to perfection and the trimmings complimented eachother well. The stand out for me was the seafood gumbo — it certainly packed a punch but the seafood within was meaty and the scallops on top were a nice lil added bonus!
Dessert: Oreo cheesecake — need I say more?! Creamy with a crunchy biscuit base. Perfectly made and it went down a treat!
This place really did tick all the boxes for me and I’ll definitely be heading back for some more once I’ve digested these meal which I feel may take a while.

Ooooooooh heaven is a place in Blackfriars. Dear god, since spending some time in Tennessee I have loved southern American food and the Fat Bear is nailing the awesomeness.
Having been once with Unilocal to try the whole menu i recently returned with a friend for an off the cuff Friday night dinner.
Wandering up the stairs from the pub below it still amazes me the cute surroundings of this speak easy styled restaurant. Welcomed by the manager despite being busy they found space for us at the bar.
Beers ordered we looked over the menu. We were stuck with what to eat… ribs, alligator bites, crab burger… chicken fried steak (I’ll explain later)…it was a really tough call.
The offer of being allowed ribs as a starter made life easier. Shared ribs, followed by the soft shell crab burger for me and the chicken fried steak (CFS) for my friend.
Ribs…dear god. That’s all I have to say about that.
What is CFS, well let me tell you my friend… they take a lovely ribeye steak… they tenderise it and they prepare it like they would feed fried chicken and serve it with their house gravy. OMFG… this is heaven on a plate
My giant crab was juicy and amazing and awesome, on a fresh roll it was also epically good. Happy JD.
All washed down with a couple of pickle backs this was a night to remember. I will be back… soon…it’s lunchtime soon… I might be back today.

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday last Saturday, I wanted to try this place since I saw the pictures of their food here on Unilocal,and seeing as the boyfriend loves hearty food (and has a thing for bears) I thought it was the perfect chance.
I had a lot of expectations for this place and I’m very very glad to say: boy, did it deliver.
It’s a bit tricky to spot if you don’t know where it is but somehow it was full 10 minutes after we’ve arrived (we had booked for 6:30pm so still quite early). Considering how desolated the area is, this really speaks volume.
The room has a cosy and intimate atmosphere to it. The blinds were shut and it was candle lit.
We ordered a variety of starters, which included potato gnocchi in blue cheese sauce (my sweet god), deep-​fried gator bites (holy moly) and deep-​fried pickles (drooling all over my keyboard as I type). We were blown away by the flavours.
We couldn’t set on just two mains as we wanted to try many many things, so we ordered pork ribs, beef brisket and the soft shell crab burger. The brisket was quite a bit tough to be honest, but everything else was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend said he never had better pork ribs in his entire life.
All mains came with fries, but we also ordered poutine which I had tried once in Canada and wanted to try again (it was PERFECT) and beer-​battered onion rings (which DID NOT crumble into pieces when you touched them, as pub-​food ones usually do).
We finished it off with a flaming bear and a shortcake strawberry cheescake for dessert. As well as a couple of cocktails.
The staff is extremely kind, knowledgeable and efficient, as well as a pleasure to interact with. They offered a killer double shot at the end of the meal as a happy birthday homage.
The other half described The Fat Bear as ‘twenty square feet of bloody perfection’ and I couldn’t agree more. Next time we’ll be trying their brunch.
Couldn’t recommend this place enough. We paid quite a bit of money but we ordered A LOT of food, and it was worth every penny.