I love the location! Next to the parking lot near the base of the pier. We were lucky to find a free parking spot. It was crowded on the weekend but only had a short wait. We sat outside and the views are good. Much better views if you sit inside but the weather was gorgeous. They had pork tamales for a special and I'm so glad I tried it. I was so torn about getting that or seafood. The tamales were flavorful. The masa stuck to the corn husks which was disappointing. It came with 2 eggs and I chose hash browns as the side. If you can handle spice, you would love the sauce that was served with the tamales. I dipped my fork in and couldn't do it. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The potatoes didn't have any seasoning but were very crispy. It was a lot of food for the price. I did try some of the fisherman's platter. That was a decent sized portion. The shrimp and calamari steak were delicious. The fried oyster was huge. The clam strips were small with a lot of breading and not enough clam. Bathroom was very clean. Service excellent. read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Pork tamales with eggs and hash browns - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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The employees were great and so accommodating especially to our toddler. The place has tons of parking, lots to look at and plenty of indoor/outdoor seating. Our son loved his pancake breakfast with special whip cream from the waiter. I ordered the banana granola and coconut pancakes which didn't come with any granola, the coconut was like shredded white sugar, bananas were very very sweet and the pancakes were like cardboard. I mean no harm to anyone, i love a good local family run establishment I'm just noting for others who may order this thinking it's something it's not. We appreciate the kindness of the staff, thank you. read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Banana coconut pancakes and kids breakfast - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

Best Breakfast Place Around and Some of the Best Lunch and Dinners by far ! ! ! Great place for a small intimate gathering or a slightly larger group. Best Staff read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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We live in Avila and haven't been to Fat Cats in years. A friend told me she and her dad had a great breakfast there recently. So my husband and I decided to try again. I'm glad we got there when we did about 8:45 am on a Saturday. When we left there was a line. It was a very warm day for Avila but not too much near the ocean. Took a little bit to place our order. Coffee, pretty good, and water we received right away, plus refills. My husband had the Chili Verde omelette , loved it and ate it all. Came with hash browns and English muffin. I had the Denver omelette, very good and lucky me I have leftovers. I also had hash browns but decided to get sour dough toast. The place was clean and we sat inside. Outside was already booked up. We will definitely will be back. read more

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I usually don't enjoy giving bad reviews, but I also believe in being honest about my experience. Unfortunately, this was very disappointing. I ordered the clam chowder and it was probably the worst clam chowder I've ever had. It was extremely thick, served cold, and surprisingly had almost no clams in it at all. I only managed to eat about five tablespoons before giving up. My friend ordered the fish and chips, and that wasn't good either. The fish looked undercooked and almost half raw. The service was okay, which is why I'm giving two stars instead of one, but overall the food quality was far below expectations. I hope the restaurant improves because the experience was very disappointing. read more

The location is great, we sat outside on a nice day and it was nice. However, the food is very disappointing and overpriced. It's similar to a chilis or Applebees, nothing special just high priced mid food. I barely touched my taco salad and wasn't even offered for it to be taken off the bill or replaced. Mimosa was big and good though. Server seemed like a nice guy. read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Taco salad - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

The food was so tasty, the portions were perfect. The service was fantastic, very welcoming, amd made us feel like apart of the family. The ambiance is so cute, and I love the vibe when you walk thru the doors. Well be returning again. read more

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We stopped here for lunch before going to Avila Farm on the way home from a weekend away. Had a nice table where we could see the dock and water and Julio was a friendly and good server. The ladies split a Louie Crab salad that they both liked. My friend liked his Patty Melt and I enjoyed my tuna sandwhich. They both came with lots of French Fries that were okay and neither of us ate much which was perfect. They both came ladies said we'd all been here once before and we enjoyed our food and looking out at the water. The only challenge was getting out of the parking lot read more

This is a must do if you are staying in Avila. Fat Cats is a cute little locals spot for breakfast and lunch in the bay. They have indoor seating and outdoor sheltered seating if you want the full salty air experience. Our waitress, Caress, was super friendly and acted as though we go there every day. You could see a mix of families and locals in booths and at the counter. Our food was great and we enjoyed the bay out the window. This is a fun beach spot to start your vacation with a hardy breakfast and a walk on the beach. read more

Fat Cats Cafe - The daily special of French toast, eggs and bacon or sausage. - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

All around great place. Had crab eggs Benedict with hash browns and a very nice mimosa pour. Arrive is great. Got here before the crowd, but it will get crowded. Enjoy! read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Crab eggs Benedict - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

I got exactly what I hoped for; refills on coffee and a perfect old American breakfast. Service was great and with a nice relaxing cafe ambiance. read more

Logan was awesome! He was kind enough to check for us and it was! Absolutely perfect as always.

Stopped by on a Thursday night and what made our visit was the thoughtful service we received. The server was knowledgeable and helpful and made the best recommendations. He made us feel at home. We had the halibut and clam chowder and enjoyed looking out the window. Will be back to try the eggs Benedict for breakfast. read more

A local diner located at the far end of Avila Beach, next to Hartford Pier. The breakfast portions are large. They definitely do not skimp! We tried the homemade cinnamon roll and it was warm and served with a smooth frosting. The service is excellent. Plenty of coffee and iced tea refills. There are daily specials available. read more

The waitstaff was excellent, the cinnamon rolls were amazing, and the view was beautiful. I would go back for the cinnamon rolls. The crab benedict was good and had a fair serving of crab. read more

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My family has been coming to Fat Cats for many years and have always been very impressed with their service. Last weekends service was above and beyond anything they have ever done. My daughter left her Blanky behind on our last visit (we live 3 hours away), it was heartbreaking to her. I called to see if they had seen Blanky, but was originally told no Blanky had been found and left my number in case it turned up. I got a call the next day and Caress (an amazing waitress) said that Blanky had been found. She went above and beyond to ship Blanky to my daughter and bring peace to our lives. Thank you Caresss for your service and kindness. read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Restaurant sign - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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Well, been waiting for about an hour. Was told 30 minutes. Not busy but whatever. This better be the best damn good I've ever had. Follow-up review after read more

Food was good but we were left eating in the rain. While being on a blended family vacation we decided to go to this restaurant as it was a childhood favorite of my girlfriend. When we arrived we were sat outside and ordered some food with our waitress. It started to get gloomy while we waited. Once they brought out our food it started to rain. The other wait staff came outside and moved their customers inside while we were left to eat in the rain. The food was good (kiddos even enjoyed their food) but we had to ask another server for our check because we wanted to leave and not get drenched. All in all we enjoyed the view and the restaurant decor but this may be our last visit. read more

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Went on a weekday for an early dinner and had the whole place to ourselves, good straightforward food, prices reflect awesome location. Can't beat the views of the bay. Staff is friendly & since we were the only ones there the food came very quick. read more

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We Have been coming to Fat Cats for years. As we have serving home in pismo. I can absolutely 1000% say that we enjoy Every Meal. Every Server - Katie , Caress , Zach all the Servers. We look forward to each visit ! We have traveled allover and can honestly this place is like home. Never disappoints This restaurant is a Gem - Our Happy Spot. Thank you all the smiles Brent and Shelley Brown read more

My fiancé and I went to recreate our first date from a year ago, but the food was very bland. We were disappointed. We had to add lemon, salt, pepper, and extra salsa to even get it there. Flavors were off and the food was not great. We've been here a few times, but don't think we will be back. read more

The patio was nice and toasty but full of Yellowjacket's and bees trying to taste your food which is an unpleasant experience. The menu was extensive but the banana coconut and granola pancakes were mediocre and didn't come with granola :( Logistics: - mix of paid and nonpaid parking across from restaurant - indoor and outdoor seating - some breakfast options only available before noon read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Banana coconut granola pancakes - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

I've opened too many Yelp's with been by the place but... I dropped golfers off at the Avila Resort and though hey Fatcats down the road its early, I didn't have breakfast, I wonder...served all day long. Giddy Up, Okay black coffee, Seafood Omelet, country potatoes, english muffin, and a side of bacon. Thats a treat. Not too busy for a Saturday morning, a beautiful Saturday morning. This place has been here forever, probably as old as the pier (which you can drive out on). Good outdoor seating, I dinned inside today. Oh my very good all around, tasty, good portion, fast, hot, served with a smile. oh great view too. foodguy-martin read more

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So good!!! Great food service . Basic breakfast cooked perfect. Coffee yummy. Location so cute read more

I like the diversity of the menu. The place is clean and the wait staff is nice enough. Oh, dear, do not order the Louis salad as it comes topped with shredded cheese. Never, I mean never, would I expect to get a fish salad FULLY TOPPED with shredded cheese! read more

Dine on the patio! Waiter very good. Shared a captains platter. Assorted fried seafood Clam chowder good. 4\5. Needed more clams but creamy with chunks of potato and celery Beautiful beach. read more

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This is a place I love so much that it's hard to share. But it's famous and considered one of the best places on the West Coast. Our family favorite when we visit read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Nice view from my table - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

We did NOT eat here. My wife did extensive research on dog friendly restaurants and all over the web including their YELP page states "dog friendly". They only allow service animals. So probably should state that on their web page and yelp page. We were looking forward to eating here since we drove 7+ hours from Vegas but it wasn't meant to be. read more

This review is for the Fat Cats Cafe stall they had at the Avila Beach on one of their Friday night events and not of the actual restaurant. Being a food stall, food is limited obviously but we ended up choosing the shrimp cocktail and lobster tacos. Lobster tacos were flavorful and filling but I found the shrimp cocktail a bit lacking in heat and there were not a lot of shrimps on it which was a bit disappointing. Service was fast though. Barely ordered our food and it was served immediately. read more

Food was great, the clam chowder was very delicious. It was busy but we were able to get seated in a timely manner. We got an ocean view inside. It was a busy day so we didn't see much of the waiter, just when we ordered and when he gave us our food. read more

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I am still dreaming of the fish taco plate! Great spot for a casual dinner after playing at the beach. While casual it was full service with friendly staff seating and serving. Prices were reasonable for full service. Great spot for family dining with wide menu for everyone including breakfast. We ordered the taco plate which was excellent. Every element of the dish was done perfectly including the beans and rice. The coconut shrimp taco plate was fantastic too. The teens ordered french toast and a clam chowder bowl. I would have eaten here again on the trip if we had more time. read more

Fat Cats Cafe - Fried fish taco plate. It was delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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Amazing food and amazing ambiance. Loved their Bloody Mary's and watching the boats. Every food dish we got was delish. Went back 4 days during a 7 day trip due to how great they were. Will be back next year! read more

Meh.... Fish and Chips highlighted as one their specialty. One of the worst I've ever experienced. One in our group had the fish sandwich. She had a hard time eating half of it. My partner had the nachos. Shouldn't even be on the menu if that's the best they can do. Service was ok and fairly prompt. The location next to the ocean must be the reason people come or they're resting on the laurels from bygone days. read more

We had dinner at Fat Cats Cafe while we were in Avila Beach. It's a small cafe but the food was delicious. I had the local halibut and chips and it was great. My husband had the shrimp Louie salad and my MIL had the crab cakes. Both said their food was tasty. The young man that waited on us was super polite and friendly. Definitely would go back when in the area. read more

Hey hey!Some 30 years later.... I'm back with now my son going to Cal Poly and find Fat Cats to be as good, as customer friendly as ever. Don't miss this place. Front and center to the bay. Go for the double decker crab club sandwich with Cole slaw. And the coconut shrimp..... oh my! I can't tell what's better - the ambiance, the service, the food.... Tell them Tony sent you! read more

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We loved the service at this cute little Cafe. The homemade pork tamales & hash n eggs were absolutely delicious - thank you!

Love this place! Had a wonderful breakfast with the seafood omelette and it was fantastic! The service was great and the Cafe was super clean, which is one of the most important things. I'm still geeking out over how our waiter treated us with the most friendly smile and so polite. read more

We come to Fat Cats a lot when we stay at our beach house. Tonight Martin was our waiter, he is always so nice! We had the seafood chile relleno was the best we have ever had! We had the stuff shrimp what is excellent. Martin and the chef were so nice! Highly recommend Fat Cats! read more

I've been going to "Fat Cats" since I lived down there (Sea Canyon) in the 1990's, it's the kind of place where i'd drive half the state just to eat... (And it have on several occasions where I had to have "Fat Cats", and I live in the North Bay Area). To me Fat Cats is not only comfort food it's an entire "Comfort Zone"... I've done business there, met friends, even taken more than one date there... The folks who run the place are more than nice, and tend to accommodate just about anything I have presented, from laptop to girlfriend... The food, man what can I say, everything that I have ordered has been excellent, and I am willing to bet that this holds true for the entire menu, but portions are more than enough, and certain items are only found and done right at Fat Cats, that's why I travel miles just to eat there... Fat Cats offers some of the best "Fish Tacos" and "Onion Rings" around if I were to recommend something that's a sure bet, you can't go wrong with the Fish Tacos... Damit, now I am hungry, and I don't plan on being in Avala for another month... Hummm I wish DoorDash would deliver 292 miles... If I were to suggest a change in something, it would be to open a second "Fat Cats" closer to me ... read more

First of all I have to say that Gordon Ramsay would have a field day in this place. It was covered in flies and yellow jackets outside They have plastic spinners on the tables to keep them away but they did nothing. We moved inside to escape the bugs only to find more flies circling our table. The window had a broken screen full of spider webs. The walls and floors looked dirty. The decor was old and dirty as well. Example, was a collage of printed pictures of people's cats put in a cheap plastic poster sized frame and hung on the wall. Tacky. I was pretty skeeved out. I really wanted to leave but was super tired and my family wanted to stay, so I did. The service was mediocre at best. Took about 10 minutes for a server to even come greet us. We only saw him once to take the order, and once to give the check. Someone else delivered the food. No one came in between. The fries were hot and ok. the veggie burger was a little overcooked but fine. I was just so grossed out at how dirty the place was that I had a hard time enjoying my food. I just wanted to get out of there. I don't recommend it unless that's your vibe. Clearly plenty of people don't mind the filth. I was curious at how the kitchen looked, but too scared to find out. Pretty sure the heath department would shut it down if they came in there. read more