We ate here a couple of months ago. Get the lamb shanks! They were huge and so much food. Can be a little noisy inside restaurant. But meals are always of a good size.

Fat Dog Cheesecake is the BEST!
I love the atmosphere and quirkiness of the place.
I have never been disappointed with the food. Great portions and very tasty!
My only small complaint is that sometimes food that is ordered together doesn’t arrive together. Sometimes it takes about 5 mins.
Also, if a quick lunch is what you are after, then try Fat Dog 2 Go next door as the Cafe itself is very popular and therefore extremely busy at lunchtime!

I was looking forward to dining again at the Fat Dog as I always have loved there food. Unfortunately after this weekend the 29.01.2012 I will never come back again. My friends and I all spent around $120.00 ordering two seafood chowders, two eggs benedict, coffee and bacon and eggs. The only thing that’s was OK was the coffee. Seafood Chowder was over thicken and tasted like packet Maggi soup with cheap seafood in it. Eggs Bene the eggs where over cooked (HARD) and I had to get my eggs re-done and the bread was soggy on both and the bacon and eggs tasted like crap. I have never had such rubbish food in my life for the amount of money that we had spent. I wouldn’t even rate this with a one star. The services was rubbish as when I complained about my Eggs been over cooked it seemed to be a Hassel. After our meal I complained to the waiter at no stage did a manager come to say sorry for the food or to ask unhappy customer about what was wrong. I will never dine her again and it is a shame as i loved the FAT DOG!! Something has happened to this place in the last 12months… as last year I wouldn’t have a bad word to say about this place!!

Iv lived in Rotorua for over a year now and have never been to Fat Dog have heard few good things and bad things about it. A friend and I decided to go there for lunch 24th October. There was a bit of a line but they weren’t to bizzy . I had a lunch meal $19.50 and it was out within 5 10mins slapped on the plate fries had over cooked old battered bits al-through it, my side of aioli was dumped into the seeping off my plate Mayo, lettuce was old and wilted warm, also said on the menu come with avocado I got guacamoli it was brown and warm so yuk !!!my daughter had chicken nuggets and fries which had old cooked bits al through it to. Was yuk presentation was shocking looked like no body cared. I all so notice food cabinets and all front windows and doors were greasy and looked manky. I called a guy over maybe the manager I told him I wasn’t happy. He was very rood and said” well what do u want me to do about it”? as he was walking away. I will never go back and will not recommend it to anyone. I could go on and on!

myself and a group of friends went there for lunch today and I had the steak sandwich I was not impressed for over $20.00 we ordered the steak it cum out within 5 minutes and was well done so obviously it was precooked the steak had alot of sinew in it was covered in melted cheese but it looked like sum unrecognisable tenderised steak i would not go back and we had been sitting there for approx 45 minutes we still had the last persons dishes on our table that we had pushed to one side no one had even cum to clear the table and we were also sitting in the front window and we could see the cabinet which looked very dirty it really needs a good clean down not good

I love the Fat Dog Cafe, every time we travel to Rotarua this is where we go for breakie everyday. Service is quick, staff are friendly. Food is AMAZING, large portions, good classics and I have never had a bad coffee there! It is also a great environment, colourful and vibrant.

Eggs Bene is to die for. The French Toast is huge. A large hot choc comes in soup bowl, it is huge! Great value for money with a great selection of meals and beverages.
A groovy place with mismatch chairs & tables and interesting art/wall painings.

This cafe is a really fun laid-back place to eat. It has a large blackboard menu and the tables and chairs are all quite unique. Even the bathrooms have poetry and pretty pictures on the walls!! The food is great and the portions are huge and it’s not very expensive. Definitely worth a visit.